Colonies occur in interstate rights-of-way, and the birds will use such corridors."

In general, the longer the rotation age, the greater the opportunity red-cockaded woodpeckers have to maintain existing colonies and create new ones.  A minimum of 100-year rotations for longleaf pine and 80-year rotations for other pines is recommended [3].  If the decision to harvest has been made, shelterwood cuts instead of clear-cuts may preserve a supply of potential cavity trees if pines 80 to 120 years old are left as residuals.  This method would also create the open pine savannah habitat preferred by red-cockaded woodpeckers, and would leave some foraging habitat while reducing the susceptibility of the residual stand to southern pine beetles (Dendroctonus frontalis) [20].

Control of hardwoods in the colony site is vital.  Hardwoods should not exceed 15 feet (4.6 m) or so in height, especially within 50 feet (15.2 m) of cavity trees.  Stands containing colony sites should also be thinned to 50 to 80 square feet of basal area per acre.  Older trees should be left for future cavity trees [3].

According to Seagle and others [13], "because foraging habitat is less specialized than nesting habitat, a variety of strategies can be used to provide necessary foraging habitat within a suitable radius of the colony site."  Hooper and others [3] suggested planting pines at a 10x10-foot or 12x12-foot (3x3-m or 3.7x3.7-m) spacing to aid rapid stand development.  Regeneration areas of 10 to 30 acres (4-12 ha) have less impact on the birds than larger ones.  Thinning sapling and pole stands may improve foraging habitat.

Unenlarged or not noticeably enlarged red-cockaded woodpecker cavities are later utilize by red-bellied (Melanerpes carloinus) and red-headed (M. erythrocephalus) woodpeckers, white-breasted nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis), tufted titmouse (Parus bicolor), eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis), and southern flying squirrels.  Those species that utilize enlarged red-cockaded woodpecker holes are red-bellied and red-headed woodpeckers, northern flickers (Colaptes auratus), pileated woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus), tufted titmouse, great crested flycatchers (Myiarchus crinitus), eastern screech-owls (Otus asio), wood ducks (Aix sponsa), fox squirrels (Siurus niger), gray rat snakes, and honey bees.  All of these species are known to nest in these cavities except pileated woodpeckers and northern flickers, which are only known to use the cavities as roosts [10].  Both red-bellied and red-headed woodpeckers may delay nesting to use red-cockaded woodpecker cavities [9].

DIRECT FIRE EFFECTS ON ANIMALS:

Adult red-cockaded woodpeckers can probably easily escape fire.  However, fire at night may trap some birds in cavities [14].  Cavity trees are very vulnerable to fire because of the highly flammable resin that flows from the resin wells [21].  Wildfires in areas with heavy understory fuels could kill cavity trees used for nesting and roosting [22].  Cavities in large pines are frequently abandoned following enlargement by fire [11].  Artificial cavities placed 20 to 30 feet (6-9 m) above the ground may be better protected from fire than lower ones [18].

HABITAT RELATED FIRE EFFECTS:

Despite the vulnerability of cavity trees, fire plays an integral role in maintaining habitat both for colony sites and foraging [16, 23].  Virtually all southern pine ecosystems evolved under a regime of