Sweet Gums to Sweet Gums and More

In this post, I compared scaling on sweet gums in our search area with images of scaling on sweet gums taken by Martjan Lammertink in Congaree National Park; he has graciously granted me permission to post those images and some others here.

Pileated Woodpecker Scaling on Pine – Photo by N. Banfield/Cornell Lab of Ornithology

High Branch Scaling on Sweet Gum, Steinhagen, Texas – Photo by M. Lammertink/Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Pileated Woodpecker Scaling on Sweet Gum, Congaree National Park, Photo by M. Lammertink/Cornell Lab of Ornithology

The focus of the original post was on the direct comparison between known Pileated Woodpecker scaling on sweet gums and the work we are finding in our search area. The differences are quite dramatic. In this post, I will simply include a number of examples of suspected ivorybill work from both our old and new search areas without too much discussion. The differences should be self-evident, even without reference to bark chips. I have come to believe that much if not all of the high branch scaling that Tanner presented as being typical and (by implication at least) diagnostic is not necessarily inconsistent with PIWO work. Thus, in the absence of other indicators, the Steinhagen photos are potentially interesting but not highly suggestive. Note that in all three images of PIWO work on boles, there is clear evidence that the bark has been removed in layers. This is true even on the pine, where signs of this layered work are visible on the left, just above the bird. I now suspect the absence or near absence of layering on extensively scaled, tight barked hardwoods may be the single most important component in the gestalt and may even be diagnostic in itself.

Even when the scaling is quite extensive, the signs of layering are likely to be a giveaway, as in this example from public land near our old search area. The bark chips around the base of this tree were all small and gave further indication that the work had been done in layers.

Heavily Scaled Snag, East Central Louisiana 2011, Presumed Pileated Work

Detail Showing Superficiality of Bark Removal – East-Central Louisiana, 2011

Detail Showing Bark Removal in Layers – East-Central Louisiana 2011

Most of the images below have been discussed in other posts. The scaling is on oaks, hickories, and sweet gums and the differences in appearance should be self-evident.

Scaling on a Hickory Snag, Louisiana, October 2013

Scaling on a Hickory – Top to Bottom – Louisiana, June 2014

Scaling on a Dying Hickory, Louisiana, May 2013

Oak Scaling, Louisiana, October 2013

Hickory Scaling, Louisiana 2013 – Photos by Steve Pagans

Hickory Scaling with eyed click beetle and Hairy Woodpecker work. We suspect that there may be a correlation between IBWO and HAWO foraging strategies.

Sweet Gum Scaling, Louisiana, January 2014, photo by Steve Pagans

Hickory Scaling, Louisiana, June 2013

Heavily scaled young oak or sweet gum with suspected IBWO work extending from the base to well up on the trunk. Large bark chips are visible around the base of the tree

Extensive Scaling High on a Living Oak, Louisiana 2012

Detail of Extensive Scaling on Oak

Extensive Scaling on Live Willow Oak, Louisiana 2012

Scaling on freshly dead oak, East-Central Louisiana, January 2010. Tree was extensively scaled including lower on the bole. Some bark chips were the size of my forearm

Sweet Gum Scaling, East-Central Louisiana, 2009