The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-12
WooDPEUKERs.

The peculiar characteristics of the wood
peckers are the construction of the beak.
the feet, and tail. The beak is constructed
for chipping away the bark and wood, the
feet giving them the power to hold fast to
the trunk of the tree, and the tail to sup.
port them in position, which gives to their
strokes the greatest force. Their Deaks
are long, powerful, straight, and pointed
their feet, formed for grasping, are set far
back upon the body; their tails are short
and stiff, and act as props when pressed
upon the rough bark. Woodpeckers were
for long time thought to be injurious to
trees, but that prejudice naturalists now
agree was wholly an error Often, in
walking through the woods or orchards,
there will be seen strewn in profusion, at
the foot of tree, fakes of bark and chips
of wood, sure signs Of. the woodpecker's
industry. 1t looks as though a work of
destruction was being carried on, but these
flakes, having become separated from the
living bark of the tree, were mere excres-
ences under which insects and their larvae
found shelter, and to obtain them for food
the woodpecker remove the dead flakes of
bark and wood, so that in reality, instead
of being an enemy to the farmer, he is one
of his most faithful servants. The wood
peecker makes its nest in q tunnel which
it neatly ezcavates In the ansound tim
bers. Water, when admitted to a tree,
causes its center to decay; but if perfor-
alton is made through the trunk, gallon
after gallon of dark brown water will rush
out, mixed with fragments of decayed
wood, showing the extent of the damage
done. This often oscurs when a branch
has been blown off close to the trunk; the
woodpecker is quick to discover it, and
begins to cut tunnel. Wilson and Au-
dubon both state that many of our wood
peckers will exeavate tunnels in apparent
ly sound and undecayed wood, boring
through several inches, till they reach the
decayed portions of the centre of the tree.
The burrowing powers of the great giant
gray y-bellied woodpecker are mervelous, its
chisel like beak having been known to chip
splinters from a mahogany table, and to
cut hole fifteen inches in width througha
lath-and- plaster partition. Even the small
downy wookpecker is able to bore its way
through the solid wood of tree, makingan
ingenious nest, the burrows sloping for
some six or eight inches, then being driven
perpendicularly down the tree. The tun-
mel is barely wide enough to admit of the
passage of the body of the bird. But the
perpendicular hole is roomy, and is fitted
up in style sufficient to dignity it with
the name of chamber. The male and
female woodpeckers labor alternately in
the burrowing and making of the nest, but
they find en- implacable enemy in the saucy
little wren, who, when the woodpeckers
apartments are ready for occupancy, coolly
takes possession, and holds them against
the builders aud proprietors, notwithstand-
ing their vehement and noisy expostula-
tiOus. Picas principals is distinguished
by superb red carmiue crest and bill Of
polished ivory. This is indeed no CON-
mon bird, but is a king among his kind.
No fence rails for him to perch upon, but
rather the tops Of lofty trees, the giant
pines Of the cypress swamps, where the
trumpeting notes and loud strokes awaken
and reawaken the echoes. From the base
of some Of these enormous pine trees cart
loads Of bark have been removed, aud the
trees so perforated with holes that it would
seem to be impossible that it was thework
Of birds