After more than three decades of absence, Tennessee is preparing to welcome back a bird once thought lost to the state: the red-cockaded woodpecker.
State and federal wildlife officials have announced a long-term plan to reintroduce the species, with the first birds potentially arriving as early as 2028, reported The Washington Post. The last confirmed sighting in Tennessee occurred in 1994.
"Not too many people get to be part of bringing a species back to their state," said David Hanni, a bird conservation biologist with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, per The Washington Post. "It's an awesome opportunity."
The effort focuses on restoring roughly 1,200 acres within the Savage Gulf State Natural Area, about two hours southeast of Nashville.
The robin-sized bird depends on mature pine forests with open understories — habitats that largely disappeared due to decades of logging and wildfire suppression. Through prescribed burns and forest management, officials aim to recreate the conditions the species needs to survive.
While the woodpecker is the headline species, conservation leaders say the project will benefit far more than one bird. Habitat restoration is expected to support monarch butterflies, northern bobwhite quail, Bachman's sparrows, and a wide range of native plants, helping strengthen biodiversity across the region.
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Efforts like this reflect broader conservation momentum nationwide. From the recovery of California condors to renewed protections for rare birds such as Darwin's flycatchers, sustained collaboration has proven that species can rebound when given the chance.
Officials acknowledge the work ahead will be costly and long-term, requiring ongoing habitat management and monitoring. Still, enthusiasm remains high among those involved.
"They are all in," John Doresky, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's red-cockaded woodpecker recovery coordinator, told The Washington Post.
If successful, the effort would make Tennessee the 12th state to provide safe habitat for the red-cockaded woodpecker, expanding the bird's range and strengthening its long-term chances of survival.
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