Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2001 11:39:33 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Parke H John Subject: Red-headed Woodpeckers? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Recently, we've seen a few Red-headed Woodpeckers at our Turkey Point Hawk Watch. According to the records I've read, they were historically common in the state. I've read their local demise was due to a combination of: pressure for nesting sites from starlings, lack of mature dead trees for nesting sites and their habit of nesting close to roads were they are struck by motor vehicles. I've also read an article that since the Red-bellied Woodpecker was more willing to use feeders, it out competed the Red-headed Woodpeckers and drove them from this area. Is there an accepted theory, or is it still a very open discussion? Parke. ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================