Tree work in the spring season brings many surprises. When removing trees, especially dead wood, we are in prime habitat for birds and especially nesting woodpeckers. There are mainly eight (8) species of woodpeckers in Georgia and all are protected by state and federal laws, in fact “all species of birds encountered in the wild in Georgia are protected by state and federal laws except English sparrows, European starlings, and pigeons.” (Georgia Dept of Natural Resources)
During a dead Pine removal this spring we identified a nest with recent woodpecker hatchlings. The dead Pine was next to the home and certainly a hazard, but the birds are protected by law, and particularly at this stage the hatchlings are helpless to leave the nest and find another tree. In order to practice proper wildlife protection and assuage the concerns of the homeowner, we elected to cut dead pieces from the tree to avoid additional breakage and to guy the tree to a nearby stabilizer until we can return in a few weeks. Then we can be sure the baby birds will have a chance to fly the nest and ultimately re-home in another tree.
Woodpeckers and all birds encountered in the wild are protected by state and federal laws.