27 Jul Learning Experience

Hello from Natchitoches,

I am grateful for all the learning experiences I have had so far during my time in Natchitoches. Whether learning the history of the people and the land, or about new bird species and plants in the area, I have been exposed to a lot of culture here and have met some amazing people through my experiences.

I recently had the opportunity shadow a wildlife biologist at Kisatchie National Forest, where they banded Red Cockaded woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis) chicks. During my visit to Kisatchie I learned about the endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker its natural habitat (Longleaf pine), and the efforts they are making to help their population size.

The process of banding woodpeckers amazed me. Someone climbs up a tree, extracts the chick from the tree cavity, the chick is then banded and returned to the tree cavity. The goal is to move Red Cockaded woodpeckers from larger populations to lower populated areas with the goal of increasing the endangered bird’s population. I had a great day learning more about bird banding and about wildlife and habitat management strategies.