The Coolidge examiner., 1934-04-20
= woospsessr. Tongue ia a Concealed Spear.


grrrsrsf - Ns-aeaf .-.srates- aarsesy.
Wars FrtHn iii r@Hr.E. service
nrIENTiSTS hare recently dis
covered In the dark. rain.
- drrnrhrd forests % HhiiI a
fpecirs ~ woo8nerker which builds
Ifs oNn apartment housr They re-
rorfed seeing a dozen pairs -
wnodpeekers going in nnd out ~
pests Ca q single dead trce trunk.
There are few birds that so sat.
fsfacioriiy reveal their family c0a.
uecfion 81 90 the wootlpecker. The
beginner In bird study may learn
fhaf the msatowlark belongs 20 the
family ~icieridae- but he may be
~zrusrd n ne dncs not learn at
once that the hobol'nk. the oriole.
nad the rcsi winged hiarkbird. al
strikin~iy different ln habits and
color. belong 90 che same family
iie mas study the wood thrush. and
De surprised % nnd mier that the
robin ard the bluehlrd h~ar 20 Il q
close family relationship nul II
be hecumvs thoroughly familiar
wlih the appearance and activities
- jusf one woofr~rker. be viii
thereafter be- able 80 recognize a.
oncc ans other member ~ the fan.
flr "Picitlnr- whlch he may euroun.
Seq.
Wondpf Gera are al side dlarl
button. They lnhabli al The coun
rrlcs ~ the globe except Madagas
ear and The Australian region.
More than four hundred species are
known. and many geographical
races of these have been described
IN North America the family Is
represented ~ ten genera. classs-
fed into - species. several of
whlch Ia turn are divided into sub.
species or geographical races In
au. 90 kinds % woniperkeTs are
recognized iu Continental United
states. Canada and Eala Califor
MA.
Sensible ard Busy BlreA
woodpeckerS give the Impression
- bslus practical. sensible birds
rndrr ordinary circumstances. they
,io no; show hysf.rical fear u
man ihey are wary. hut ID not les
that interfere with their work.
.-rhry are VERY busy birds and most
- the time are absorbed in cllub.
inv uhocf tire trunks and limbs
They go along together fairly well.
enc sees few serious comhats
amonE them.
They do noi Possess the stately
dignity ~ the hcron. the singing
powers ~ The thrush. or the grace.
ful flights ~ the sWallow. Wood.
peckers Do not stir the imagina.
ton % thoughts ~ distant lands.
rs does the Wild goose when FAR
overland We So him leading his
fiock toward the frozen pole. The
woodpcckers are known rather as
hard working. substantial citizens
- the bird world. rendering service
which could 81 he spared.
These birds possess highly spe-
clnilEed equipment for their busi.
ness % getting a living. They are
The oniy birds In our country that
can dig holes IN solid trees. As
group they pass most OF their days
perking becayed trees or stumps
for ants or the larvae OF wo0d-bor.
In. beetles.
No other bird leaves behind such
striking evidence ~ It's presence.
4 hundred thousand wnrblers NAV
migrate through a small region. and
many may remain for the summer
and rear their young. When they
have gone. little sign Of their for
ner presence is left behind bat
hals dozen woodpeckers In the same
community viii leave very definite
evidence of their occupancy. M.
fuerous holes In dead trees. with
here and there an entrance 10 a
nesting cavity. viii all bear con-
vinclng testimony that these birds
have heen In the forests and the or.
chards of The nelghhorhood.
Woodneckers nest In hollows
which they dig In trees. and all OF
them lay white eggs on a bed OF
Enc chips at the bottom OF the cav
tiles.
Their toes usually number four.
two of them pointing forward and
he others backward. This arrange
rueni enables the birds 20 grasp
srmly The side ~ a tree. and eSpe-
clally l. this the case when they
hrace themselves with their twelve
hong. stlG tail feathers.
One Kind Gees After Sap.
The sapsncker Ga species of wood
necker). is looked upon with serl.
"'iS dlSfavor by foresiers and or
chartiisis. some variety ~ II being
fnnnd In nearly every part " the
country. This dislike arises from
ffS nnfverSat custom OF nerkinn