Riperian Corridor Birds

In many areas of Ohio where the former woodlands have been reduced to small isolated woodlots (usually no more than 10 to 50 acres), the forested stream corridors extend for miles in an unbroken band and provide a large percentage of the woodland habitats required by so many species. This is particularly true for many of Ohio's breeding bird species.

The presence or absence of key indicator species is one way to assess the quality of the riparian forests found along Ohio's scenic rivers.

Riperian Corridor Birds of Ohio

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

Red-bellied WoodpeckerPermanent resident

A common species statewide in a variety of wooded habitats. As with many forest nesters, there is a direct correlation between the size of the woodlands and the numbers of red-bellies present.

Along Big Darby Creek in central Ohio this was the second most common woodpecker found after the downy woodpecker.

Forested riparian corridors along Big Darby in excess of 100 feet wide on both banks had three times as many red-bellies as did those corridors which were less than 100 feet wide on a side.