Blissfully Birding

Blissfully Birding

March 04, 2019

What I am about to share with you is not just for the birds! It’s about the birds or one in particular (and it’s not an angry one either). How many of you have gone to the W. G. Jones State Forest? It’s just South of us, located on FM 1488 a few miles West of I-45 (it borders Conroe and The Woodlands). Not only is it a great place to hike, but it’s a great place to bird watch! There are over 250 types of birds to observe.  Who knew there were so many different types of birds? In fact, Jones State Forest is home to the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker - which is an endangered species. There are as many as 24 Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers (RCW) living in Jones State Forest. Side note, word on the street is that there may be a few of those precious birds living in our very own sanctuary! I haven’t seen them myself, but I have a reliable source who says that it’s true! :)

Here are a few fun facts about these RCWs:

  • Each cluster of RCWs require at least 100 acres for forage.
  • The RCW is one of the few bird species endemic to the United States.
  • A cockade is a ribbon or ornament worn on a hat. The "cockade" of this woodpecker is the tiny red line on the side of the head of the male. It may be hidden and is very difficult to see in the field.
  • While other woodpeckers bore out cavities in dead trees where the wood is rotten and soft, this is the only one which excavates cavities exclusively in living pine trees.

If you are at all interested in learning more, I encourage you to call the W.G. Jones State Forest office. They are a wealth of information and hosts various events that are open to the community!

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