Woodpeckers

There are nine species of woodpeckers in Florida, although one, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, is either extinct or near extinction. Other species include the Red-bellied Woodpecker, Gold-fronted Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Red-cockaded Woodpecker (endangered), Red-headed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, and the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. The last three listed migrate to Florida each fall to spend the winter. A strong chisel-tipped bill permit woodpeckers to excavate cavities in trees for roosting and nesting, as well as for communicating, known as “drumming.” Woodpeckers find a resonant trunk and tap rapidly in a pattern unique to each species. Drumming woodpeckers are not obtaining food, but sending a signal claiming their territory or that they are searching for a mate. Woodpeckers’ heads are like a shock absorber for their brains. The bones in a woodpecker’s skull keep its brain comfortable and avoids concussions. Male woodpeckers have varied amounts of red feathers on their head whereas females do not. Nests are cutout in decaying tree trunks with hollow cores. Woodpeckers use no nesting material other than the bed of wood chips they produce at the cavity bottom. Depending on the season, a woodpecker may eat a variety of preferred foods depending on the species. The most popular woodpecker foods include: insects - especially wood-boring insects, larvae, grubs, spiders, and ants, as well as nuts, seeds, berries, and fruit. Large salivary glands coat the tongue with sticky saliva that aids in capturing insects. A long tongue with a hard, bristle-covered tip functions like a rake allowing a woodpecker to probe bark crevices and insect tunnels. (Naples Daily News)