RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER POPULATION TRENDS AND MANAGEMENT ON TEXAS NATIONAL FORESTS

-Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) population trends and concurrent management on four national forests in eastern Texas were evaluated from 1983 through 1993. Following years of decline, populations stabilized and began to increase after intensive management efforts were initiated. Management activities included control of hardwood midstory and understory, thinning pines within woodpecker cavity-tree cluster areas, use of cavity restrictors and artificial cavities, translocation of first-year woodpeckers to replace lost breeders, and reintroductions of male and female first-year woodpeckers to form totally new breeding pairs. Most newly formed woodpecker groups were associated with midstory removal (30) and installation of artificial cavities (22). Reversal of severe declines on the three small populations in eastern Texas suggests that recovery of other small populations throughout the south is an achievable goal if management is committed to recovery of the species. TENDENCL4S POBLACIONALES DE PZCOZDES BOZtEALlS Y SU MANEJO EN LOS BOSQUES NACIONALES DE TEXAS Sinopsis-Entre 1983 y 1993 se evaluaron las tendencias poblacionales de Picoides borealis y su manejo actual en cuatro bosques nacionales en el este de Texas. DespuCs de arias de reduction numerica, las poblaciones se estabilizaron y comenzaron a aumentar tras iniciar esfuerzos intensivos para su manejo. Actividades para manejar la especie incluyeron el control de1 sotobosque medio y bajo en bosques de maderas duras, limpiar pinos dentro de areas donde 10s pajaros carpinteros construian muchos nidos, usar restrictores a las cavidades y usar cavidades artificiales, trasladar individuos de un atio para reponer aves reproductoras perdidas y reintroducir individuos de un afio de ambos sexes para formar parejas completamente nuevas. La mayoria de 10s grupos nuevos de pajaros carpinteros que se formaron fueron asociados a la remocion de1 sotobosque (30) y a la instalacidn de cavidades artificiales (22). El revertir el descenso numeric0 en las tres poblaciones pequeiias de1 este de Texas sugiere que la recuperacibn de otras poblaciones pequerias a traves de1 sur de 10s E.E.U.U.A. es una meta alcanzable si el manejo de 10s bosques esd comprometido con la recuperation de la especie. The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is an endangered species that has continued to decline throughout its range during the 1980s (Baker 1982, 1983; Carter et al. 1983; Conner and Rudolph 1989; Costa and Escano 1989; Eddleman and Clawson 1987; Jackson 1980; Masters et al. 1989; Ortego and Lay 1988) despite two decades of protection under the Endangered Species Act and two recovery plans. Of the 26 ’ In cooperation with the College of Forestry, Stephen K Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas 75962 USA.