Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Partners in Flight


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Partners in Flight was formed to address the conservation needs of declining bird species. Federal and state government agencies, non-governmental conservation organizations, communities and conservation-minded corporations, landowners, and other businesses, have joined together in an international effort to address these declines. Together, we are working to understand the ecology and natural history of all birds in the Western Hemisphere, while also discovering the causes of their vulnerability. Our main goal is to implement actions needed to assure that these valuable species continue to occur in healthy and productive populations into the future.

Close-up of Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

In addition to the RCW, many other species are becoming critically threatened or endangered. They, too, are experiencing serious declines because they depend on the same forest type (or habitat) as the RCW. Management that benefits this woodpecker will benefit a wide variety of other species as well. Therefore, this is an example of “ecosystem-wide management,” not “single-species management.” The RCW is an indicator of a healthy, upland pine forest ecosystem maintained by frequent, but mostly low-intesity fires. A few other bird species that will benefit include nesting Eastern wild turkey, northern bobwhite (quail), red-headed woodpecker, northern flicker, American kestrel, year-round Bachman’s sparrow; year-round Brown-headed Nuthatch and Red-headed Woodpecker; and wintering Henslow’s sparrow. There is a long list of plants and animals that also depend on these fire-maintained pine forests – over 70 species that we know of, too many to list here.

If you would like to visit a site in Texas with Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, please contact one of the following:
W. G. Jones State Forest
in Conroe
(936) 273-2261
(Montgomery County)
Davy Crockett National Forest
in Ratcliff
(936) 655-2299 (Trinity and Houston counties)
Sam Houston National Forest
in New Waverly
(936) 344-6205
(San Jacinto, Walker, and Montgomery counties)
Angelina National Forest
in Lufkin
(936) 897-1068
(Angelina, Nacogdoches, San Augustine, and Jasper counties)
Sabine National Forest
in Hemphill
(409) /787-3870 (Sabine and Shelby counties)

For more information on all of the woodpeckers see:
The Woodpeckers of the Eastern Texas Pineywoods


For Additional Information write to:

Wildlife Diversity Program
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
or send a message to: nature@tpwd.state.tx.us