Tipped with sticky saliva, this quick-moving, flexible organ mops up the meal and hauls it back to the bill. Once paired, woodpeckers are basically monogamous, except for the occasional extra-pair mating. Woodpeckers nest in tree holes, and lay all-white eggs which rest from ten inches to two feet down dark tree cavities. Woodpecker parents do not stuff or line their nests with special materials as many other birds do. Instead, their eggs sit on bark or wood chips that have fallen into the cavity during excavation.
Pairs share parenting responsibilities.
During the day, the male and female switch off on incubation duties. Once the eggs hatch, usually between 11 and 18 days depending upon the species, they share in feeding their young. From hatching to fledging, nestling woodpeckers usually stay in their nest cavities three to four weeks. In our area, most species nest only once a breeding season, with the exception of northern flickers and red-headed woodpeckers, which often attempt a second nesting. If you want to get better acquainted with local woodpeckers, your backyard is a good place to start.