Speaker: Jim Cox, Stoddard Bird Lab, Tall Timbers Research Station

There is a ton of intriguing biology packaged up the diminutive Brown-headed Nuthatch. The nuthatch is one of three bird species found only in southern pinelands. The treetop antics and rubber ducky calls make these inquisitive birds a pleasure to watch, but declining population coupled with some of interesting behaviors call for closer scientific attention. Like Florida Scrub-jays and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, adult nuthatches often forego the chance to breed and instead help other adults raise young. Unlike woodpeckers and jays, this cooperative breeding among nuthatches frequently includes assistance provided to breeders that are not close relatives. This creates complex social arrangements with many intriguing twists and turns.

Jim Cox heads up the Stoddard Bird Lab at Tall Timbers Research Station near Tallahassee. The lab has been studying a marked population of nuthatches for over 10 years as well as the relationships between controlled fires and the habitat needs of the many other declining bird species associated with southern pine forests. The Lab also is engaged in land conservation efforts that make use of special programs designed to conserve habitat for rare species on private lands. The programs typically reduce regulatory requirements by providing incentives that help landowners improve conditions for rare species.

To learn more about lab activities, take a look at their web page:

http://talltimbers.org/stoddard-bird-lab/