Effect of land cover change on red-headed woodpecker populations at high- vs. low-abundance range locations (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)

Range collapse studies of endangered species have revealed that location within a species' geographic range is not a critical factor for survival. However, wildlife mangers have documented a higher translocation success rate if transplant populations are relocated within the center of the species geographic range. The inconsistencies between translocation success and patterns of range collapse lead to management confusion. The purpose of this study is to help clarify this confusion by evaluating a case species, that of the red-headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus), from 1978 to 1993 and (1) Isolate land cover changes significantly related to population change; and (2) Determine if the red-headed woodpecker is more sensitive to these changes at low versus high-abundance regions of its range.; The multi-temporal GIS and statistical analysis revealed the red-headed woodpecker to be statistically sensitive to changes in agricultural mean patch dimension, agricultural edge density, and urban area; and abundance change was not significantly different between low versus high-abundance routes. Therefore, the red-headed woodpecker was not sensitive to range location in this study, and, as a result, optimal habitat located in the periphery of the species' range should not be disregarded for management activities.