Primitive Loop

The Piliated woodpecker is a species that lives in conifer, mixed, and hardwood forests and needs approximately 100 acres of continuous old forest area to live. It is the largest woodpeckers in North America and has a wingspan of approximately 26-30 inches. They have a bright red crest on their head with a black body, a white stripe on their throat, and a long bill.  They use their chisel-like bill to forage for beetles, ants, and termites in trees, leaving rectangular holes in dead trees.  If you listen, you can hear their loud drumming call which they use to establish their territory. 

Cliff swallows are small birds that are native to North and South America.  They have a blue-black back, with a white body and a rusty-orange forehead and neck. Their beak curves and they have pointed wings which assists them at catching flying insects.  They build distinctive cup-shaped mud nests in large colonies on structures like bridges and on cliffs.  They converge at two migration lines in the Houston area: the Mississippi and Central lines and can travel long distances for their migratory pattern.  The Cliff swallows are facing threats to their populations, including habitat loss, pesticides, and development.

Inland sea oats are low maintenance plants that have vibrant green leaves and grow oat-like flower spikelets from arching branches to spread seeds. The seed heads are distinctive and turn from green to bronze as they mature. The seeds are eaten by small mammals and granivorous birds, and the stems and leaves are communally used as nesting materials. Additionally, inland sea oats attract butterflies.  They form clumps and typically grow to be 2 to 4 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide that like full sun to partial shade. Their deep roots help stabilize soil and prevent erosion, but it can dominate the area.