he can easily hold on to the side of a tree. Birds having such 

 feet are called "climbers". The tail of the Woodpecker is short 

 and stiff, and by pressing the end of it against a tree, he braces 

 himself to strike a hard blow with his bill when drilling a hole. 



Our Woodpecker does not make a nice soft nest for its 

 young like most other birds. It drills a hole in a dead limb or 

 tree large enough to let its body far in out of sight and 

 danger; and there in the dark the eggs are laid and hatched. 

 This making of a nesting-place is quite a task, and it takes the 

 labor of both birds for several days to prepare it. As only one 

 bird can work at the hole at a time, the other goes off to get a 

 meal on some nearby tree. However, when the mate calls from 

 the hollow tree, "Time is up," the absent one returns 

 promptly to work while the other flies away for dinner. 

 Thus the pecking is kept up constantly until the hole is often 

 more than a foot deep. What a queer place in which to bring 

 up a family; no grass, no leaves, no soft lining, nothing but 

 chips for a nest! 



This Woodpecker does not sing. He makes a harsh sound 

 that may be spelled ker-er-er as he runs up a tree in a zigzag 

 way. There are several kinds of Woodpeckers all of which 

 have some red about the head, but no other has so much as this 

 one whose head and neck are bright crimson. 



107 



