FOOD OF WEST VIRGINIA BIRDS 41 



study of the effect of this bird's work on the trees which it punctures, 

 says that the bird's-eye effect in our maples and in some other forest 

 trees is caused by the punctures of these birds. He has proven this 

 point very conclusively, and, since this is true, the increased value of 

 the lumber that has these beautiful bird's-eye markings goes far 

 to make up the loss caused by the punctures in some other trees. Dr. 

 Hopkins found in West Virginia about twenty-five kinds of forest treea 

 that had been punctured by these Sapsuckers. In a recent article on 

 this bird Dr. Henry W^ Henshaw, Chief of the Biological Survey, De- 

 partment of Agriculture, has said, "The regular girdles of holes made 

 by this bird are common on a great variety of trees; in all about 250 

 kinds are known to be attacked. Occasionally young trees are known to 

 be killed outright, but more loss is caused by stains and blemishes in 

 the wood which result from Sapsucker punctures. These blemishes, 

 which are known as bird pecks, are especially numerous in hickory, 

 oak, cypress, and yellow poplar. Defects due to Sapsucker work cause 

 an annual loss to the lumber industry estimated at $1,250,000. The 

 food of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is about half animal and half vege- 

 table. Its fondness for ants counts slightly in its favor.' It eats also 

 wasps, beetles (including, however, very few wood-boring species), bugs 

 and spiders. The two principal components of the vegetable food are wild 

 fruits of no importance and cambium (the layer just beneath the bark 

 of trees). In securing the cambium the bird does the damage above 

 described. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, unlike other Woodpeckers, thua 

 does compartively little good and much harm." 



Red-headed Woodpecker. 



The bird that attracted Alexander Wilson's attention to the birds of 

 America, soon after he came to our shores, was the Red-headed Wood- 

 pecker. This is a bird of striking colors, and is a familiar species, 

 throughout the State. Like some other members of this family he has. 

 been accused of destructive habits of some of which he is guilty. The 

 Red-headed Woodpecker sometimes injures telephone poles by drilling 

 large holes in them for nesting purposes; he is very fond of the early 

 sweet cherries and does not hesitate to lay heavy toll on them in return 

 for the good services he does at other times in the year; and he some- 

 times destroys or at least injures, the maturing corn, attacking it when 

 it is "in the milk," and for this purpose opening a large percentage of 

 the ears of corn in the fields where it makes its devastations. Nuts, 

 are also eaten by this Woodpecker, though not to a harmful extent. To 

 counterbalance this harm done, this bird destroys many beetles, grass- 

 hoppers and other insects. Most of these are taken on the wing in real 

 Flycatcher fashion. 



'> 

 The Flicker. 



Another important member of this family is the Northern Flicker. la 

 different localities in this country this bird bears different names. 

 Among those that are in most common use are, "Yellow Hammer,'* 



