FOOD OF WEST VIRMXIA BIHU.S 



"Golden-winged Woodpecker," "Partridge Woodpecker," "High-hole" and 

 "High-holder." Throughout West Virginia the name in most common 

 use is "Yellow Hammer." Often as one walks along the paths in an 

 old field he may be frightened by the sudden fluttering of wings as 

 a Flicker flies up from the ground where he has been gathering his food. 

 As every observing farmer's boy has learned, the "Yellow Hammers" 

 feed largely on the ground where they gather great quantities of ants 

 and other insects. It has been found that fully 45% of the food of this 

 bird consists of ants. Some wild fruit is eaten and, occasionally, culti- 

 vated varieties are taken. Mrs. Florence Merriam Bailey says in her 

 interesting pamphlet entitled Hoiv Birds Affect the Farm and Garden, 

 "Nearly half of the food of the Flicker is ants. Three thousand were 

 found in one stomach. As ants spread plant lice, destroy timber and 

 infest houses, the Flicker is certainly a useful bird. It does good work 

 in other ways also. Like many innocent birds, the Flicker has been 

 accused of corn-eating, but only five out of 230 stomachs contained corn. 

 Prof. Beal, having spoken of the good work the Woodpeckers did in 

 Newbraska at the time of the Grasshopper devastation, says of the 

 Downy, Hairy and Flicker: 'Not one of the trio shows a questionable 

 trait, and they should be protected and encouraged in every possible 

 way.' " 



Photo by Charles O. Handley 

 Cranberry Glades where Alder Flycatchers nest. 



