The Coolidge examiner., 1934-04-20

As The sap collects in the open.
inss {, is consumed by the bird an.
ill the little springs begin 30 fail.
when another series % holes is
made near the first one. Thus the
work continues. unlll large areas
- the tree may be covered wlih
these perforaiious.
The sapsucker viii take the sap
os maple. mountain ash. pear. plum.
apple. cherry. oak. peach. spruce.
and lronwood trees. and of almos,
al species ~ pines. ars. hemlocks.
cedarK cypress or co,ionwoods.
10 the northern forests. where
many kapsuckerS spend the sum.
mer. numerous birch trees are
killed annually by them In the
Northwest. where az times sapsuck.
ers are usually plentiful. whole ap-
ple orchards have been destroyed.
In some trees. such as naples.
wnlnuis and hlekorics. their holes
often pierce the sap wood beneath
the camb.um. IN the subsequas..
growth ~ the trees. these wounds
sometimes cause curly or bird's.sye
wood wcll known 10 lumbermen.
More often. however. this exposure
u the uood allows insects. fungi.
or bacteria % enter These cause
hlemlshes or decnyed areas. which
reduce to value the lumber which
laier may BE- cut from the tree.
About the rings - holes made by
these birds In iocusis and syca-
morcs. shoots often sproui from Ad-
ventiiious h1ds. and thus the syn
meiry OF the tree Is mArrcd Not
only are hundreds of thousands Of
;rees injured by sapsuckers. bet a
considerable proportion of those
th,st are attacked die
The woodpeckers 30 not connne
their attentions wholly 20 trees.
They make their explorations for
sap through the bark ~ various
large vines. such. FOR example. as
The Virginia crceper. poison Ivy.
rattan. and trumpet cre~per.
Close about the nesting tree %
the sapsuck.r there are various
trees where the old birds 20 FOR
their sap. and where they take
their young when they leave the
best. Here the family spends The
summer with an abundance ot nor.
nal food supply at hand 40 this
season they eat also ants. flies.
beetles. aud various other insects
which are drawn 10 The flowing
springs of swee; sap. other wood
peckers come 10 these little fomn.
iains. as well as hnmmlng birds.
warbiers. and at times red squir-
rels.
Flicker Is the Best Known.
Among the woodpeckers the fllck.
er Is a bird % distinctive personal
iiy. and Il attracts universal atien.
ton Undoubtedly IL is known to
FAR more people than are the other
woodpeckers It's local names are
numerous "wilkriSsen." 'yncker
bird" ~golden-winged woodpecker.~
~hIgh-holder." pigeon woodpecker'
and yellow hammer" are some OF
them.
OF late years the custom has de-
veioped OF adopting a state bird"
Already choice has been made By
the organizations OF i3 states. and
in Alabama. not long ago. the ques-
ton OF which bird should be chosen
created hot discussion. In the end
the "yellow-hammer" was decided
upon. The fight for It's name was
Led by a women's patriotic organi-
zatson. members of which called at
tentlon 10 the historic fact that
company Of Alabama youths had
placed the birds feathers In their
caps and. designating themselves
"yellow-hammers.~ had marched
away. singing. 10 the Civil war.
The red-headed woodpeckers and
others of the family will now and
then dart down 10 a road or 10 the
lawn 20 capture an insects. or TO
pick up an acorn. but when the
flicker drops To the ground he re-
mains there for some time. often
until frightened away. In the
woods. the field. or the garden. one
may come upon him hopping awk-
wardly through the grass.
His chief interest at such times
Is ants. which constitute 20 per cent
OF his food. He secures them BY
use OF his remarkable tongue.
which can be thrust outward two
and half inches or more beyond
the end OF the bill. His tongue Is
at all times covered with a sticky
saliva. which catches and holds the
ants as they rush forward 10 at
tack what appears 10 be a long
worm that has crawled across their
path or entered their burrow.
This tongue Is very wonderful
organ. In the mouth It branches.
and the two horns pass up the rear
Of the skull. on top they meet.
and close together the two parts
RIM forward and downward over
the right eve 10 the nostril. which
they enter. and extend onward TO
the end Of the bill.