The Acorn Woodpecker Is A Glossy Black Bird With A Streaked Chest, A Red Cap - And A Charming Personality
The acorn woodpecker stands out fast, with its glossy black body, streaked chest, and bright red cap. It looks almost dressed for a formal event, but its personality is a lot more playful than polished.
These birds live in oak-heavy habitats across the western United States, Central America, and parts of South America, and they depend on acorns more than most woodpeckers do. That reliance shapes everything from where they live to when they nest, and it also explains their unusual habit of storing food for later.
Once you see how much effort goes into their acorn hoards, the rest of their behavior starts to make sense. Read on.
The acorn woodpecker lives in the foothills of Oregon, California, and the southwestern United States, extending south through Central America to Colombia.
It prefers oak woods, groves, mixed forests, oak-pine canyons, and foothills...
Acorn woodpeckers also eat insects, sap, and fruit. They can be seen sallying from tree limbs to catch insects, eating fruit and seeds, and drilling holes to drink sap.
This occurs in two ways: coalitions and family groups. The saying "it takes a whole village to raise a child" proves true here.
Adult offspring regularly stay in their parents’ nests and help raise the next generation. Breeding coalitions comprise up to three joint-nesting females and up to seven co-breeding males.
Most nests, however, consist of only three males and two females. The group can have up to ten offspring helpers.
The breeding coalitions are usually closely related-the males are brothers, and the females are sisters. However, despite this fact, inbreeding is rare; co-nesters of the opposite sex are never related.
That social setup is a big part of what makes them so unusual.
The acorn woodpecker got its name for a reason
This glossy black bird’s charm is cute, but the elf owl that looks like a tennis ball is all predator.
It depends heavily on acorns for food.
This bird even nests in the fall to take advantage of the abundant supply of acorns.
This bird is known for its habit of hoarding acorns.
The acorn woodpecker’s singing resembles human laughter.
Adult offspring regularly stay in their parents’ nests and help raise the next generation.
Watch and hear them sing:
Besides having charming looks, the acorn woodpecker is also a barrel of fun. The sounds it produces can sometimes resemble human laughter.
Very often, you can even hear them say, "wake up, wake up," or at least something that sounds like it. These birds have a stable population and are not endangered.
It is hard not to root for a bird this quirky.
Before you go, watch the owl snatch a child’s stick horse toy.
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