Pileated woodpeckers create a rectangular shape, which you can compare to the sapsucker pattern below. You might be able to tell which species of woodpecker was around by the shape of the holes left in trees. Nuttall’s woodpecker fledgling by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Anthony Mancini. Cells in the tips of their beaks are constantly replaced, preventing them from wearing down over time. Woodpeckers are often characterized as “chisel-billed” because they peck into living or dead wood to find grubs or build a nest. ![]() For example, how do they hammer trees all day without brain damage? Since they don’t sing, how do they communicate? It turns out that the answers lie in a few incredible adaptations that help woodpeckers survive. I’ve had a few looming curiosities about these birds. ![]() Woodpeckers are a welcome part of my cold weather hikes, when wildlife sightings become more rare. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior, David Allen Sibleyįor fun facts and useful tips, join the free Bushcraft Newsletter.Each winter I’m absolutely thrilled to see woodpeckers in the woods of Virginia. Secrets of the Oak Woodlands: Plants and Animals Among California’s Oaks, Kate Marianchild.Ģ. Have you encountered these mischievous creatures? Leave a comment below with your own Acorn woodpecker story.ġ. And there are a number of stories about Acorn woodpeckers in their mythology. Their feathers have been used for centuries by the indigenous peoples of northern California. Acorn woodpeckers have complex family relationships. T here is much more to learn about these amazing creatures. This site is not far from some of my favorite hiking places. But with our understanding of Acorn woodpecker behavior, we can finger the true culprits. Note that the video incorrectly implicates squirrels. Now that you understand how the birds operate, you can appreciate how their woodpecker brains lit up when they saw the antenna. That’s why I was highly amused when a friend sent me this video of another group of Acorn woodpeckers causing trouble. Sun reflecting off an Acorn woodpecker’s decorative cap. When my company left the facility two years later, the birds still held the upper hand! The birds would disappear for a few days before finding a clever solution to the man-made puzzle. Chickenwire, plastic owls – nothing seemed to work. Management tried everything they could think of to dissuade the birds. The mob of woodpeckers worked non-stop putting holes in the sides of our building and stuffing them with acorns. The birds were using our office as an acorn granary! He gave me a look that made me want to shrivel and die. I remarked to the facility manager how much I enjoyed the woodpeckers. They were mocking me for frittering my day in an office while they cavorted outside. I enjoyed the two-story pitched-roof structures because they blended so well with their rustic surroundings.Įach morning as I walked into the office, Acorn woodpeckers showered laughter down on me from the eaves. For several years I worked in a “business incubator” as my fledgling company tried to get off the ground. Reacting to habitat loss, some Acorn woodpeckers have gone on the offensive. But dead trees provide habitat for remarkable creatures like Acorn woodpeckers. ![]() Often peoples’ instant reaction is to take down a dead tree. We can also refrain from pruning dead tree limbs. ![]() We can help by letting dead trees, called snags, stand. The biggest threat to Acorn woodpeckers is loss of habitat. It’s characteristically woodpecker – fast wing flaps as they rise to a peak, then they retract their wings and dip as they glide. Their swooping flight pattern reminds me of waves on the ocean. And once again, I’m not cool enough to get the joke. Sporting leather jackets with colorful red Mohawks. And they always seem to be laughing at me, with their “Waka, waka, waka!” calls ( listen). They sweep in overhead like a gang of unruly teenagers playing music and laughing too loud. I drink in the stillness as I satisfy my thirst.Īcorn woodpeckers ( Melanerpes formicivorus) – the colorful, raucous, juvenile delinquents of the oak forest. I push-up the brim of my hat and unscrew the top to my water bottle. On this hot day the forest is a refuge, a respite from the unrelenting sun. My boots make soft swishing sounds as they displace the dried oak and tanoak leaves lining the forest floor. The cloudless blue sky peeks through the dense canopy overhead. I’m hiking through a peaceful oak forest, enjoying the cool shade.
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