WESTERN BIRDS Sapsucker 



cousin, has the habit of removing patches of bark from 

 certain live trees, usually willows, for the sake of the 

 cambium and the sap which exudes, and that it also 

 eats the insects attracted by the sap, which are mostly 

 bees, wasps, and ants. 



In 24 stomachs examined from September to March, 

 inclusive, 75 per cent of the annual food consists of ants, 

 the average per month being 40 per cent of the whole 

 diet. 



Though these birds fall far below some members of 

 the family in economic importance, since they do not 

 help in the destruction of the worst orchard and forest 

 pests, on the other hand, they do not feed upon fruit or 

 vegetables. In fact, their only bad habit seems to be 

 their sap-sucking proclivities. 



Dr. Joseph Grinnell in his "Biota of the San Bernar- 

 dino Mountains," reports seeing these birds and their 

 young in July in these southern California mountains. 

 He found the characteristic boring of this species to be 

 plentiful in alders, willows, young pines, and firs. 



"Willows, which were growing in good-sized clumps 

 near Bluff Lake, seemed to offer special attractions but, 

 curiously enough, the attentions of the birds were con- 

 fined to a single clump in a locality and not distributed 

 among many." It seemed evident that the birds worked 

 upon one clump so long as life lasted. One in particular 

 mentioned by this accurate observer had all its upper 

 branches and stalks dead above from two to four feet 

 from the ground, the bark being weathered off and the 

 stems left bare and shining. "This clump must have 

 been worked upon for at least three years, for on several 

 of the trunks, which were from 3 to 5 inches in diameter, 

 there were three zones of borings, the latest ones lowest. 

 Just below each of these girdlings was a ring of sprouts. 

 Of what advantage is it to the birds to confine their 

 attention to one clump of willows until it is exhausted?" 



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