Acorn Woodpecker Acorn Woodpecker
Melanerpes formicivorus
The photo above shows the most commonly found
sign of this bird's presence - the acorns they store in granary
trees.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Acorn woodpeckers use the same storage trees over and over, year after year. Generations of the woodpeckers will use the same tree, which is called a granary tree. Jays and squirrels will visit the granary trees to take the acorns. The acorn woodpeckers cooperate together to defend their granary from other animals. Over the winter, the birds use the stored acorns for food. In the fall, when the acorns begin to ripen and fall from the oak trees, the holes in the granary trees are once again filled by these busy birds. Acorn woodpeckers will also peck holes in the wooden siding of buildings to use as granaries, which makes their activities unpopular with homeowners. The call of the acorn woodpecker sounds like laughter. Their distinctive calls can most often be heard during the early part of the day and in the evening.
|
|
|
| This piece of wood was found on the forest floor. It came from an old standing snag tree that had served for many years as an acorn woodpecker granary. The holes were left by the woodpeckers as they stored their winter supply of acorns. When this old tree finally fell down, the woodpeckers began using another nearby snag tree. |
|
|
|
Acorn woodpecker nest hole in an oak tree. |
 |
|
Notice the stiff tail feathers on this acorn woodpecker. These can be braced against the bark of a tree and help hold the bird upright. |
 |
| Acorn woodpeckers will occasionally visit bird feeders. |
 |
| Notice that the acorn woodpecker has two toes facing forward and two toes facing backward. This helps them to grip the bark of trees. |
 |
|
Acorn woodpeckers create holes like this in trees in order to make safe places to nest. This one used an existing hollow inside a tree and simply had to make a hole to access it. |
 |
| The call of the acorn woodpecker is similar to the classic "Woody Woodpecker" call. |
 |
| This old tree is being used as a granary by acorn woodpeckers. |
 |
| A standing dead snag tree makes perfect habitat for a family of woodpeckers. |
 |
| Each of these woodpeckers is storing an acorn inside a hole in this larder tree. |
 |
|
A close-up view of a dead tree being actively used by acorn woodpeckers as a granary. Each of these holes are the right size to hold one acorn. The woodpecker may move the acorns around as they dry and shrink so that they stay tight in each hole. This helps secure them from birds and squirrels that may want to pilfer them. |
 |
| This woodpecker has an acorn and is looking for a place to store it. |
 |
| Busy woodpeckers storing acorns in late fall. This is their winter food supply. |
 |
| Acorn woodpeckers used the same granary trees over and over, year after year. |
 |
| The foot of the acorn woodpecker, showing the claws that allow it to grip the bark. |
 |
| Acorn
woodpecker high in a tree. (male) |
 |
| An acorn woodpecker braces its tail feathers against the tree to stabilize itself. |
 |
| An acorn
woodpecker leans way over to grab a tasty meal of
blackberry - fresh off the vine! Their diet is not
exclusively acorns. They eat insects, berries, and
other things they can catch. |
 |
| Acorn woodpeckers are beautiful
birds. Here is the male in a tree. |
 |
| Acorn woodpecker feather |
 |
| Acorn woodpecker feather |
 |
|
 |
 |
| This is a granary tree. | An acorn woodpecker was feeding on this previously stored acorn. |
|
|
|
|
One of the sounds I hear frequently in the woods is the raucous call of the acorn woodpeckers. There is a group of them that lives near me. They can be seen storing the acorns and rapping on trees and buildings to make the holes in the fall. In winter, they remove the acorns and eat them. They are very bold birds and will chase away jays that are competing with them for food. Their bright coloration makes them a very beautiful animal. |
|
 |
This acorn woodpecker peeked out of its hole in an oak tree. I snapped several photos of it before it flew off. Then, another little head popped out of the hole, this bird's mate. I then left them alone and they went back to their hole. |
| The home of the acorn woodpeckers. |
|
Find Acorn Woodpecker posters, greeting cards, postage stamps and more in my new store.
|
Visit Beartracker's Nature Store
at: www.dirt-time.com
Happy tracking!!
What else can you find in the nature store? Beartracker's T-shirts, sweatshirts, journals, book bags, toddler and infant apparel, mouse pads, posters, postcards, coffee mugs, travel mugs, clocks, Frisbees, bumper stickers, hats, stickers, and many more items. All with tracks or paw prints, or nature scenes. Custom products are available. If you don't see the track you want on the product you want, email me and I can probably create it. Proceeds from all sales go to pay the monthly fees for this web site. You can help support this site as well as get great tracking products! Thank you! |
| Find other tracking products: www.zazzle.com/tracker8459* |
| Also
visit these fine stores for more products of
interest:
NDN Pride shop - For Indian Pride items for all tribes. Custom items available on request. ASL Signs of Love - For anyone who uses or is learning ASL, American Sign Language. Custom name items and more are available here. Get Every Child Outdoors (Get E.C.O.) - My shop dedicated to nature and getting kids interested in nature and the outdoors. Sales from all stores give commissions to Beartracker's Animal Tracks Den, which helps keep this site online as a free service. We are celebrating ten years online this year! |
Got a woodpecker story? E-mail me and tell me about it.
You are visitor number:
Copyright © 1997, 2018. Text, photos, videos, and drawings by Kim A. Cabrera
