• Research

• Longleaf Pine Research
• Aquatics Research
• Wildlife Research
• Predation and Predator Management
• Wildlife/Habitat Relationships
• Threatened and Endangered Species
• Rare Amphibian Surveys
• Flying Squirrel Competition with RCW
• Research Publications
• Graduate Projects

Reducing Flying Squirrel Use of Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Cavities (Graduate Project)

Research Team: Jennifer Borgo (Graduate Student), Dr. L. Michael Conner (Associate Scientist), and Dr. Mike Conover (Utah State University, The Berryman Institute)

Flying squirrels usurp cavity inserts intended for red-cockaded woodpeckers (RCW). When RCW populations are small, standard population models do not apply and population dynamics are driven by stochastic factors. Thus, loss of one RCW nest or cavity to flying squirrels is detrimental to the RCW population.

Much management effort is expended each year on Ichauway to remove flying squirrels from RCW cavities. Removal of squirrels is time consuming and expensive. Jennifer will be developing a series of experiments to explore mechanisms to reduce flying squirrel use of RCW cavities.

Research in progress, publications forthcoming.

Funded by: The Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, The Berryman Institute, and Utah State University