Thursday February 15th 7:00 PM @ Hal Holmes
20 YEARS OF FIELD RESEARCH
ON THE WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER IN WASHINGTON
In Washington, the White-headed Woodpecker is listed as a species of concern due to its association with old-growth ponderosa pine forests. Although White-headed Woodpeckers have recently been documented inhabiting early to middle aged managed forests, information is limited regarding their reproductive success and general ecology in these forests. For the last 20 years, Jeff Kozma, a wildlife biologist for the Yakama Nation, has been studying the ecology of White-headed Woodpeckers in managed ponderosa pine forests along the eastern Cascades in Yakima and Kittitas Counties. Jeff will present brief highlights from his research including nest-site characteristics, reproductive success, and nestling provisioning (i.e., who feeds the kids and what are they feeding them). He will also present a summary of findings from a long-term banding study he has been conducting since 2011 investigating adult longevity. If you ever wanted to know more about the White-headed Woodpecker, this presentation is for you!
Jeff received his B.S. Degree in Environmental Forest Biology from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse and his M.S. Degree in Wildlife Science at Texas Tech University where he studied the use of Chihuahuan Desert arroyos and adjacent uplands by migrant and breeding birds in southern New Mexico. After graduating, he began working as a Wildlife Biologist at the Yakima Training Center where he monitored Sage-grouse, performed raptor and non-game bird surveys, and was involved with restoration of seeps, springs, and riparian areas. He is currently working as a Wildlife Biologist for the Yakama Nation where he has been studying the reproductive biology of White-headed Woodpeckers and other cavity-nesting birds in managed forests since 2003, as well as reviewing timber sales on the ceded lands of the Yakama Nation to help protect habitat important to state and federally listed wildlife.
Join us for this interesting talk about Jeff’s 20-year labor of love! We’ll be IN PERSON at Hal Holmes on February 15th at 7pm, and all are welcome!
