After losing much of their natural habitat and being endangered for over five decades, the red-cockaded woodpecker made a comeback. The species was downlisted from endangered to threatened, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.
In October, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced the woodpecker's status has improved enough that it is no longer at risk for extinction.
Will Harlan, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity, said, "These beautiful birds are making an incredible comeback thanks to the Endangered Species Act."
The Endangered Species Act, passed by Congress in 1973, set protections in place for wildlife at risk of extinction and the critical ecosystems they rely on.
Once thriving across the southeastern U.S., the red-cockaded woodpecker dwelled in longleaf pine forests — previously one of North America's largest and most diverse habitats. Over time, urban and agricultural sprawl, logging, and fire suppression vastly reduced these forests, and they are now among the most endangered ecosystems on the planet.
Other woodpeckers live in dead trees, but the red-cockaded woodpecker only bores holes in living pine trees that are about 60 to 80 years old. The woodpecker's numbers dwindled because of the loss of their natural habitat and the effects of rising global temperatures.
Conservation efforts have allowed this species to begin recovering. Every animal performs an important role in nature, and each of these roles is critical for the survival of humans and our planet.
While there is still work to do to help this species, the progress is a noteworthy win. The FWS reports habitat loss as still one of the current problems for the woodpecker.
In addition, the species is still suffering from weather events such as hurricanes and wildfires that have been exacerbated by the climate crisis. Hurricane Helene alone destroyed 18 nest cavity trees in just one area in Florida recently.
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The progress of the red-cockaded woodpecker is encouraging and a testament to the importance of conservation efforts. With continued progress, there's hope for a better future for the woodpecker and other at-risk wildlife.
Harlan said, "Decades of active management by local, state, and federal agencies have paid off, but a lot more still needs to be done to protect the longleaf pine forests these woodpeckers and hundreds of other species call home."
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