Why was this Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) pecking so feverishly at the top of this broken tree? It certainly did not look like a good spot to find insects.
A few seconds later, I got an answer to my unspoken question, when the woodpecker pulled an acorn out with its beak (at least that’s what I think it is). After a bit of research on the internet, I learned that these woodpeckers eat plant materials, like acorns, as well as insects and that they sometimes use cracks in trees to store food for use at a later time.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
He seems to be dipping into his stores a little early though. Maybe he was stealing another bird’s stash.
I wondered about the same questions as you did. How do the birds that cache their food protect it from bird opportunists?
I don’t think there is any way they can.
It’s always nice to find a snack.
I wouldn’t dare hide my snacks–I am not sure that I would be able to find them again.
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