Other creatures find cozy shelters or nesting sites in the soft trunk of dead sabal palms. Four different kinds of woodpeckers drill out cavities in the palm, and other birds inherit or steal these holes from the woodpeckers. The Cuban pygmy owl, bare-legged owl, Cuban parakeet, American kestrel and Cuban trogon all rely on woodpecker holes or scarcer natural cavities for their nest sites. Other birds, such as the diminutive Cuban tody, use the woodpecker borings in a pinch. Various anole lizards and the Cuban tree frog also take refuge in old woodpecker excavations.
Cavities formed by other natural processes also provide shelter.
When a palm dies, the crown decomposes first and falls away piece by piece. With its protective bonnet gone, the core of the trunk rots from the top down, eventually creating a hollow chimney. Cuban parrots seek out such chimneys for nesting and large Caribbean rodents called hutias find sanctuary there as well. Sabal palms provide more than just homes, however. A healthy tree bears a bounty of small, black fruits in the rainy season.