High Voltage-Acorn Woodpeckers 2

The eye-catching Acorn Woodpecker's head is boldly patterned in black, white, and red, punctuated with wild-looking white eyes that give it a... more

by Jennie Breeze

Title

High Voltage-Acorn Woodpeckers 2

Artist

Jennie Breeze

Medium

Photograph - Original Img_5607

Description

The eye-catching Acorn Woodpecker's head is boldly patterned in black, white, and red, punctuated with wild-looking white eyes that give it a clownish look. It's a medium-sized bird which has an unusual habit of squirreling away large quantities of acorns in natural holes, tree trunks, telephone poles, cracks in bark or "acorn trees." Some of these trees have up to 50,000 holes — drilled, stocked, and maintained by extended Acorn Woodpecker families. Acorn stocks need to be constantly turned and moved to different holes as they dry and shrink. Since the acorns are visible, the Acorn Woodpeckers also must defend their larder against potential cache-robbers. A group member is always on alert to guard the hoard from thieves, while others race through the trees giving parrotlike waka-waka calls. The popular cartoon character Woody Woodpecker was inspired by a noisy Acorn Woodpecker that disrupted animator Walter Lantz's honeymoon by persistently calling and drumming on the couple's cabin. This photo was taken at Irvine Regional Park, Calif.

Uploaded

May 13th, 2021