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| The Voice of Towne Lake | |
The Flagship of Around Town Community Magazines | July 2008 |
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Wondrous Woodpeckersby Scott LemmonIn writing about the Downy Woodpecker, the famous naturalist and artist John James Audubon observed that it was, “not surpassed by any of its tribe in hardiness, industry, or vivacity.” In today’s terms, we would just say that it is downright tough!Even a woodpecker’s skin is tough. It is actually thicker than most other birds’, providing it with an extra level of protection while knocking about on the rough bark of trees. It also helps to defend itself against the painful bites of ants and other insects on which it feeds. Woodpeckers are not only thick-skinned, they are hardheaded too. Their skulls and bills are incredibly strong and yet lightweight, due in part to the reinforcement provided by a meshwork of bony support struts. The portion of the skull nearest the tip of the bill also is bolstered by extra layers of tough calcification. And speaking of the bill, with all of that pounding, why doesn’t it wear down to a ragged nub? Wear down it does, but special cells on the end of the bill are constantly replacing the lost material. This keeps the chisel-pointed bill strong and resilient, while actually allowing it to be sharpened with every blow. And their super-sticky tongues reach into the holes they create to dig out the delectable insects. The other end of a woodpecker is also built tough. Its pointed tail feathers are especially strong and rigid. The tailbone, lower vertebrae and the tail’s supporting muscles also are large in comparison to other birds. These modifications allow a woodpecker’s tail to serve as a prop that supports its weight as it climbs and clings to trees. Of all the woodpeckers that call North America home, only a few regularly visit feeders. Red-bellied, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers are frequent feeder visitors, and all savor suet. The Red-Headed Woodpecker is the size of a Jay and has a striking appearance. It ranges throughout the eastern half of the U.S. The Red-Headed Woodpecker lives in open country with groves of dead and dying trees. But all woodpeckers pale in comparison to the incredible Pileated Woodpecker. This enormous bird feeds on insects found primarily in large trees or dead or fallen trees. It makes a characteristic fist-sized hole that’s rectangular in shape with curved edges. And as soon as it is done, other woodpeckers come in to finish the leftovers. Woodpeckers excavate their own cavities, and some will use a nestbox. Woodpeckers are reported to use nesting boxes as winter roosting places in colder weather, even if they do not nest in them, so it is good to put up a nesting box even in the fall. One of the best things you can do for the woodpeckers, as well as many other species of bird, is to avoid cutting down old, dead trees, or even dead branches off trees. That is, as long as the dead tree isn’t threatening your property or your neighbor’s. These dead trees provide woodpeckers with insects and nesting places. You could call them a Bird Bed and Breakfast! Scott Lemmon is the owner of Wild Birds Unlimited of Woodstock. Visit their web site at www.wbu.com/woodstock or call (770) 928-3014.
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