The Acorn Woodopecker, Melanerpes formicivorus is a species of woodpecker (Picidae).
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Other common names
Ant-eating Woodpecker, Mearns' Woodpecker, California Woodpecker.[2]
A black and white woodpecker. Black chin, yellowish throat, white cheeks and forehead, red cap. Female has smaller bill than male and has less red on crown (top of the head). In flight, it shows a white rump and wing patches that are conspicuous.[3]
Taxonomy[]
Similar and related species[]
Behaviour[]
Diet[]
The acorn woodpecker mainly feeds on acorns. However, it will also feed on almonds, walnuts, and pecans; in California, in competition for food with Lewis's Woodpeckers; during summer it eats mostly insects, often taken on the wing -- grasshoppers, ants, beetles, flies; also takes occasional fruit such as cherries, apples, figs, also green corn;[4] a major food especially in June and July is tree sap from small holes it drills in branches of live oaks;[5] also from the holes dug by sapsuckers.[4][2]
Calls[]
Its most common call is waka repeated several times;[3] or, according to Peterson (1961), whack-up, whack-up, whack or ja-cob, ja-cob.[6]
^ abTerres, John K. (1980). The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. ISBN0394466519.
^ abDunn, Jon L. and Alderfer, Jonathan (2011). National Geographic Guide to the Birds of North America. National Geographic Society. ISBN1426200722. CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
^ abBent, Arthur C. Life Histories of North American woodpeckers(1939) U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. no. 174. Washington, D.C.
^MacRoberts, M.H. Notes on the food habits and food defense of the acorn woodpecker. (1970). Condor. 72:196-204.
^Peterson, Roger Tory (1961). A Field Guide to Western Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN039513692X.
External links[]
Projects
This article is part of Project Aves, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each bird, including made-up species.
This article is part of Project Piciformes, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each woodpecker and ally, including made-up species.
This article is part of Project Picidae, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each woodpecker, including made-up species.
