SapsuckeiB WESTERN BIRDS 



Woodpecker. Beal, in Bulletin 37, says of these three- 

 toed birds: "All are residents of coniferous forests, from 

 which they sometimes wander a short distance in winter. 

 The trunks of scaly-barked conifers, such as spruces, 

 hemlocks, tamaracks, and lodgepole pines, are their 

 favorite hunting grounds, and here they excavate bur- 

 rows in which they rear their young and find shelter at 

 night." 



The great bulk of their food consists of wood-boring 

 beetles and moths, which they eat regularly at all times 

 of the year, but consume more in the winter time when, 

 apparently, all insect life is quiescent. 



Because of the great good they do in combating the 

 insect enemies of the forest. Dr. Beal thinks that it is 

 unfortunate that in most places they are not so common 

 as others of the family. For this reason he advises that 

 they be carefully protected and encouraged in every way. 



GENUS SPHYRAPICUS : SAPSUCKERS. 

 FAMILY— WOODPECKERS. 



Our group of Woodpeckers known as Sapsuckers are 

 among our handsomest birds but because of their sap- 

 sucking habits, which often destroy the trees, they have 

 been denied protection in many states. 



W. L. McAtee in Bulletin No. 39, Biological Survey, 

 has made an exhaustive study of these birds and their 

 habits which all especially interested should read. 



"While most Woodpeckers have long tongues which 

 can be thrust far out of the beak and which are armed 

 at the tip with backward projecting spines, enabling 

 them to secure their prey although deeply buried in wood, 

 the Sapsuckers have short, practically non-extensible 

 tongues, furnished with a fringe of stiff hairs, not adapted 

 to the capture of wood-boring insects." 



In keeping with their peculiarities of structure, these 



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