The White-headed Woodpecker in Washington

Presented by Jeff Kozma, Yakama Nation wildlife biologist

The White-headed Woodpecker is listed in Washington 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 mid-seral managed forests, information is limited regarding their reproductive success and general ecology in these forests. 

For the last 22 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 and information on juvenile dispersal from a colleague’s research. 

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. He worked as a Wildlife Biologist at the Yakima Training Center monitoring Sage-grouse, raptors, and non-game birds, and was involved with restoration of seeps, springs, and riparian areas. He is currently the Timber-Fish-Wildlife Biologist for the Yakama Nation where he has been studying the ecology 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.

Jeff Kozma with a White-headed Woodpecker

This meeting will be a “hybrid” – you can attend in-person at the Shadle Park Library, 2111 W. Wellesley Ave, Spokane, WA 99205, or online via Zoom using this link. Our speaker, Jeff Kozma, will be giving his presentation via Zoom. Doors will be open at 5:30pm for a little social time before the program begins.