Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Pic of the Day

   Acorn Woodpecker – Santa Rita Lodge; Madera Canyon, Arizona:  The Acorn Woodpecker is a striking woodpecker with an interesting propensity for storing acorns.  The Acorn woodpecker not only gathers acorns for immediate use, but also gathers acorns to store in a larder for future consumption.  Too store the acorns the woodpeckers drill holes in to a tree and insert the acorn into the hole.  The holes can not be to big or the acorn would fall out or would be easily removed by another bird or small animal.  If the hole is too small the acorn would break apart when the woodpecker hammers the acorn in to the hole.  Acorn Woodpeckers are very precise!  The trees used for the larders are usually called “acorn trees” or granaries.
     This  image was shot at the Santa Rita Lodge near a feeder that the woodpeckers continually returned to feed on suit.  To learn more about Acorn Woodpeckers go to:
Nikon D300, 500mm f/4, Digital Capture ISO 200

See previous post on Madera Canyon or Santa Rita Lodge dated: September 15, 2010; September 12, 2010; May 19, 2010; and May 17, 2010.

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