♪ calming music ♪ There are approximately 18,000 bird species around the world.

♪ These highly adaptable descendants of the dinosaurs are found on every continent from the icy waters of Antarctica to the canopies of tropical rainforests.

♪ Even though they come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes, all birds share the same characteristics of having wings, feathers, and the ability to lay eggs.

In South Carolina, some birds travel vast distances called, migrations, while others prefer to stay year-round.

♪ One special bird, called the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, lives in a very distinct habitat of the state and has one wild story.

♪ ♪ opening music ♪ ♪ natural forest sounds ♪ The Red Cockaded Woodpecker is commonly located in the geographic region of South Carolina known as the "“Sandhills"”.

♪ What's wild about the Sandhills is that it was once a beach.

Over millions of years, the ocean receded due to a cool down period in our planet's history known as an ice age.

Today, the Sandhills region is home to a unique ecosystem dominated by rolling hills, pine forests, and some of South Carolina's rarest wildlife.

♪ Because there is so much sand, rainfall drains rapidly in the Sandhills so only the most well-equipped plants and animals can survive in this harsh environment.

♪ Trees like the Longleaf Pine have adapted and grown wide stretching root systems to extract nutrients and water over a larger area and have also developed a fire-resistant bark.

♪ One of the uncommon features of the Sandhills is that it often experiences lightning-induced fires.

Now, prescribed man-made burnings help promote healthy new growth and regulate other tree species, making it the Longleaf Pine the primary roosting site for the Red Cockaded Woodpecker.

♪ Unlike most woodpeckers, who prefer dead trees, the Red Cockaded Woodpecker is the only woodpecker that nests in live pine trees.

That is because Longleaf Pine secretes "“pine resin,"” a sticky sap that provides the perfect defense for nests against predators.

♪ The Red Cockaded Woodpecker gets its name from the stripe of red feathers located behind the eye of male birds.

They live in families called "“clans, "” often foraging, and working together within a territorial cluster of trees.

Within the clan lies a complex social system, typically consisting of a male and a female breeding pair with one or two "“helpers.

"” The "“helpers"” are usually made up of the male offspring of the breeding pair and take turns incubating the eggs, excavating new nests, and feeding the babies.

♪ When searching for new trees to nest in, Red Cockaded Woodpeckers often pick trees infected with "“red heart disease,"” a fungal infection that causes the inside of the tree to rot, making the work of pecking new holes easier.

Sadly, deforestation has caused this once flourishing ecosystem to shrink, decreasing the bird population.

Due to habitat loss, the Red Cockaded Woodpecker was among one of the first species to be listed as endangered.

To help restore the population, wildlife management has come up with some crafty ways of preserving the species.

Artificial nests like these help the Red Cockaded Woodpecker by providing a breeding home in trees that the birds would otherwise be unable to excavate.

Both artificial and natural nests are marked off with white bands around the trunk of the trees and are monitored for activity.

To get this data, the South Carolina Forestry Commission use specialized cameras rigs to get a closer look into the bird's movement and population.

♪ Hopefully, in time this information will prove useful in the recovery of this wild bird.

♪ ♪ closing music ♪ ♪