Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-05-14
That "Sap-Sucking woOdpecker."

Mr.. Editor In your issue of January 10Th,
you say some pretty hard things OF the yellow
bellied woodpecker, and copy some still harder
from the Springfield Republican and the ignor-
ant ornithologsts who are too much preiudced
to allow that the boys are right in saying that
this bird attacks live trees for the sake OF sucking
the sap are spoken of as their Ignorance deserves
Now have not much to say in defence OF the
BIRDS for they do make ugly rows OF holes around
the trees that they attack, though think even
the boys would be surprised at Your statement
that one bird will girde many trees in day.
But your main point-that they make the holes
for the sake of sucking the sap-is not quite es-
tablished, l think, and that they live upon sap
would seem to prove that they live only the few
months in the year when sap will flow.
In the later Summer il not in the earlier, you
will find the yelow-bellied like the other wood.
peckers hammering away at the dry trees, and
evidently feeding as the others do. Indeed, the
adaptation of each creature to the kind oil food 1t
is TO live upon is too well established to be thrown
in doubt by the first reported observation OF the
boys" and we may expect to see oxen killing
children for the sake of eating them when wood
peckers begin to live upon sap. The yellow-bel-
lied woodpecker, while very common in some
places, seems not to have been much known to
ornithologists, as think sent twenty years ago
the first specimens of their eggs to the Smthso-
nian Institution, at time when almost every
other common bird except the Nashville warbler
was represented.
But You will ask, "why should an insectivor-
Gus bird bore the bark of live trees at points where
there are no nsects?' This question was nm
able to answer until few years ago these wood
peckers attacked the elm trees close to my win
dows, and had very favorable opportunity of
observing their work When understood it the
intelligence of the birds greatly surprised and de-
lighted me- In May observed male bird evil
IDENTIFY prospecting examining several trees, bor-
ing few holes in each and, later in the day. bring
ing his mate and taking her over the ground. They
apparently together selected an elm, then some
eight inches through, for the next day; and more
half t1.a.s 10. tnl lnNt
one or the other was at work upon that tree
Several rows of holes were bored and the sap
flowed freely They then left their work and
only came to the tree once or twice day to in
spect it, Meanwhile, and especially after the
sap began to sour, myriads of little flies and ants
were attracted. and thousands were caught in the
sticky syrup. This was the feast prepared. One
day, perhaps week after the holes we're all
finished, both birds came making good deal of
cutlery and bringing five young, evidently just
out Of the nest-and, leading them straight to the
tree all began TO feed. When they came the
bark for several inches below each row of holes
was black with flies. The whole family remained
in the neighborhood week or more, feeding from
that tree, until the flies were eaten up and the
callow birds were nearly fullgrown and full
feathered. They were so tame that could stand
close beside the tree and watch them, so ! was in
no danger of mistake in regard to what they were
eating 1t was not the tender bark, but the flies
and these not mainly in the holes but the birds
fed mostly from the black rough bark below, and
TINS they cleaned very thoroughly. later tHe
flock visited the tree once in a day or two, and
ate off the few flies that gathered later, until the
bark dried.
The next year a pair OF birds-l presume the
same-prepared in the same way for their young,
boring tree few yards from the first, and bring
ing their nestlings to eat the flies from it. And
once since they judged one of these same trees
ready to tap again, and made it their nursery
while almost every Spring they make few holes
in some tree Of the group, and bring round their
young for an occasional lunch.
Having this opportunity for observing them, |
think cannot be mistaken in saying that their
work is not for the sake of "sap-sucking;" but
they bore these holes, setting in this way fly
trap at least when they are about to bring out
their young, and probably during all the season
when sap will flow and flies are abundant. They
to prepare one tree for the first week or two
of their edgelings' supply, and few holes on a
large number of trees for visiting when strong
of wing.
The fact that you notice that their tongue is n
brush instead Of barbed point adapts them
rather for eating flies than for drawing borers
from their holes The trees that are used by
them are injured about as much as a maple by
tapping, or a fruit tree by pruning out of sea
son the main injury to n shade tree being the
roughening of the bark Since | have come to
understand the proceedings of these birds he in
stinct or intelligent forethought have not fel,
much like wantonly destroying them.
Yours truly, HENRY FAIRBANKS.