Citrus Tract is part of the Withlacoochee State Forest. The Citrus Tract has the largest population of red-cockaded woodpeckers in peninsular Florida. There are forty-eight clusters of woodpeckers in the forest. The forest is upland sandhill scrub, oak thickets, sand pine and longleaf pine. The forest is ten miles long and about five miles wide. The forest is divided into a one-mile grid system of sand roads. It is easy access to most of the red-cockaded woodpecker sites. Precaution must be taken during long dry periods; the sand roads can get very soft and it is easy to get stuck in the sand.

The Citrus Tract is bounded on the north by Gulf to Lake Highway SR44 and on the south by CR480. Trail 13 is the north-south trail dividing the forest in half. It is a well-maintained road and not usually a problem during dry spells. Trail 13 is ten miles long. Trail 10 is the dividing trail going east to west at the center of the forest. The walking trail for red-cockaded woodpeckers starts at the kiosks at the Holder Mine Recreation Area Trailhead off CR581 A second area to bird for other species is at Mutual Mine Trailhead, south on CR581 from Holder Mine

The primary reason to come to the Citrus Tract is to see Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. It probably is one of the easiest places to see this endangered species. Check the kiosks for current sightings and locations. There are no water or rest rooms in the forest. See details below for more birding opportunities in the Citrus Tract.

Citrus Tract is a large upland woodland with no streams, lakes or ponds in the forest proper, thus making it a limited habitat for many bird species. The birds one would seek in the forest are the red-cockaded woodpecker and Bachman sparrow. No brown-headed nuthatches have been found in the Citrus Tract. We want to hear reports of sightings of brown-headed nuthatches.

The best time to see red-cockaded woodpeckers is at dawn and dusk at their roosting site. It is necessary to be on site before dawn at one of the active cavity areas (white banded tress mark the site). Bring a chair and make yourself comfortable. Be sure to dress warmly in the winter months; it can be cold early in the morning.

Other birding observation sites in the forest are at the designated recreation areas at Holder Mine and Mutual Mine. Check out the Eagle Snag Trail at the north end of the Citrus Tract at the County landfill for eagles, vultures and gulls. See separate write-up on Eagle Snag Trail.

There was no bird census of the Citrus Tract in the year 2000, but a RCW survey is on-going. However, we are always interested in volunteers to make regulars surveys at the Citrus Tract.

RCW data supplied by Michele De Verteuil, Biologist Fla. Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission