❄7 Fascinating & Unusual Woodpeckers of North America

In this video, I would like to talk about some unique woodpeckers with some fascinating and unusual behaviors. I hope you enjoy it. Most woodpeckers aren't very colorful, but there are a few, however, that really like to be glamorous, such as the gorgeous red-headed woodpecker of the eastern United States. Sometimes referred to as flying checkerboard thanks to its bold pattern of black and white, this unmistakable woodpecker is sure to catch your gaze. Unlike most woodpeckers, this one does things a little differently and is very adept at catching insects in the air. In fact, they are known as one of the most skillful flycatchers among North American woodpeckers. They also hide food away, one of only four species in North America known to do this, and they are the only ones known to cover their stored food with wood or bark. Sadly, this once common bird has declined a lot due to habitat loss and changes to its food supply. They are rated a 13 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, which has put them on the Ola Watch List for species that require constant monitoring to prevent further decrease in population. The Lewis's woodpecker has their own color style, and for a bird considered a woodpecker, they are very odd. When in flight, they fly like a crow, and when looking for food, they behave like a flycatcher, flying out to catch insects in the air. Oftentimes, they also glean insects from the bark, but very rarely do they dig into trees for food. Another odd characteristic of these woodpeckers is that they store food such as acorns and other nuts away in trees in the fall and winter. When it comes to protecting these caches, they are known to be quite aggressive toward acorn and red-headed woodpeckers that try to steal them. They are rated a 15 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, putting them on the Ola Watch List for birds most at risk of extinction if there is no significant conservation actions to reverse the decline. Found in the western portion of the United States and down as far as Columbia, South America, this clam-faced character, the acorn woodpecker, is quite unusual. Most woodpeckers are solitary or hang out with one other bird on their territory, usually its mate. But with these guys, they can live in very large family groups of up to a dozen or more, and breed cooperatively. There are several different individuals of each sex that may breed within one family, with as many as seven males and three females breeding in this one group. Every individual helps with the rearing of the current generation of young. The other portion of their time is spent storing away acorns into holes they drilled into one tree, called the granary tree. As many as 50,000 holes can be made in a single tree to house each acorn they find in autumn. These woodpeckers are quite numerous, with a stable population since the late 60s, and are rated a 9 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score. Some woodpeckers enjoy digging for wood-boring beetles or catching insects in the air, but the yellow-bellied sapsucker prefers something more on the sweet side, the sugary sap of young birch and maple trees. To get at the sap inside, they drill into the trunk and have an organized way of drilling sap wells. These sap wells are beneficial to other birds and animals. In fact, in some parts of Canada, the ruby-throated hummingbird times its migration with the arrival of the yellow-bellied sapsucker, so they can reap the sweet benefits. This woodpecker is the only one in eastern North America that is completely migratory. A few may stay throughout winter, but most head south. These birds are doing fairly well, and are rated a 6 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score. This beautiful, nearly all-black woodpecker, the black-backed, is mainly found throughout Canada, with them occurring in some very northern areas of the eastern states as well as on the western side. After a fire, they are known to take advantage of post-fire resources, like dead trees they can nest in, and finding the emerging wood-boring beetles they so love to feast on. Often, these recently-burned forests can sustain their needs for up to 8 years, at which point the insect population begins to decline. This strong association with wood-borers make them the most specialized forager among North America's woodpeckers. Most woodpeckers just spend a little time at one tree and move on to the next, but these guys will work on one for hours, and it really shows. They are doing pretty good, and are rated 8 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score. However, if burned areas are a salvage log following the fire, it severely reduces their usage. The Gila woodpecker looks similar to our northern flicker, but is very different in that they are great at living in treeless, arid environments, especially the deserts of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Nearly all woodpeckers excavate nest cavities in dead trees, but these birds use sorrel cactus. In order to nest in these cacti, it takes some preparation. Pairs will excavate a hole and then wait for several months before using it. This is to allow the inner pulp of the cactus to dry into a solid casing around the cavity. One thing about their behavior of using cacti to nest in is that this benefits other species of birds and animals who use it after they are done. They are among the most dominant bird species in the desert environments they inhabit. Males will drive away other cavity-nesting bird species from the territory. These birds are doing fairly well, however there has been a pretty hefty decline of roughly 44% overall since 1970, rating them an 11 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score. A habitat specialist of the southeastern United States, the red-cockaded woodpecker behaves kind of similar to the acorn woodpecker in that they live in a family group and are a cooperative breeder, but not as complex. The small family group consists of a monogamous breeding pair and non-breeding birds, usually their sons from previous breeding seasons, which assist in incubation, brooding, and feeding. The family excavates several cavities within their home territory of 200 acres, and it can take two years or more to fully complete one cavity. Due to the length of time required for cavity excavation, family groups rarely colonize new areas. An interesting thing is that they will make holes in the bark around the nest entrance, releasing resin helping to deter tree-climbing snakes. Sadly, this fascinating species is a very big concern. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of just 15,000 individuals, with 100% living in the U.S. The species rates an 18 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score. Since 1970, it has been federally listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is listed as near threatened. It's so sad to see not only this woodpecker, but many of the others I mentioned clinging on to survival. The more people, though, who get on board with protecting the habitats and natural resources these birds need, the better they can thrive. I will leave links below for those interested in helping out in some way. There are more woodpeckers I could talk about, so perhaps another video in the near future. What are your thoughts? Comment below and keep the conversation going. Thank you for watching. Happy birding. 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