Red-headed Woodpecker Recovery

RhWR Research Background

Formed in 2007, the Red-headed Woodpecker Recovery (RhWR) began its research at Cedar Creek Ecosystems Science Reserve (CCESR) in the spring of 2008 with an agreement with the University of Minnesota.  The initial research done by RhWR volunteers was counting nesting sites of Red-headed Woodpeckers (RHWO) at CCESR.  This continued through 2010. In 2010 Dr. Jim Howitz joined our research team after studying Black-capped Chickadees for many years at CCESR. In 2010 Professor Todd Arnold recruited Ari Waldstein to continue nest site research.  She finished her research at CCESR and received a MS Degree in 2012.  Siah St. Clair joined the team of researchers in 2013.  In the summer of 2013, CCESR gave summer grants to two teachers, Patrick Hartman and Alan Watchuka, to continue work initiated by Ari Waldstein.  In 2014, Professor Todd Arnold recruited Brittney Larsen Yohannes to continue and expand this research on RHWOs.  She finished her research in 2016 and received her MS Degree in 2017.  Much of the previous research done by Waldstein and Yohannes was supported by the RhWR through purchasing equipment and volunteer help.  In 2017 the RhWR contracted Dr. Elena West, a new PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to head up research on Red-headed Woodpeckers.

Research Information

Over the years the RhWR has performed, assisted and funded research on RHWOs.  The following webpages will detail information on this research and will reference the papers that result(ed) from this research in our Resource’s page.