212 



ORDERS OF BIRDS— WOODPECKERS 



protected, it has been so greatly reduced in 

 number that it is seldom seen. It is an omniv- 

 orous feeder, eating insects, fruit, beech-nuts, 

 corn and other grain, according to necessity. 

 Its cry is loud and far-reaching, and sounds like 

 "Choor! Choor!" As to migrating, it seems 

 unable to make up its mind whether to become 

 a "regular migrant" or a "winter resident." 



HED-HEADED WOODPECKER. 



Sometimes it migrates southward during the 

 early winter, and sometimes it winters in the 

 North. 



An examination of the stomachs of one hun- 

 dred and one Red-Headed Woodpeckers re- 

 vealed 50 per cent of animal food and 45 per 

 cent vegetable. Of the former, ants made up 

 11 per cent, and beetles 31 per cent. The fruit 

 and vegetable food represented five kinds of 



cultivated fruit (strawberries, blackberries, cher- 

 ries, apples and pears), and fifteen kinds of wild 

 fruit and seeds. The insect food consisted of 

 ants, wasps, beetles, bugs, grasshoppers, crickets, 

 moths, caterpillars, spiders and thousand-legged 

 worms. In the fruit season, the Red-Head un- 

 doubtedly does considerable damage to fruit 

 crops, more by mutilating fruit, perhaps, than 

 by actual loss through fruit wholly consumed; 

 and if these birds were as numerous as sparrows, 

 it would be necessary for fruit-growers to take 

 precautions against them during the fruit season. 

 The damage done to corn appears to be quite in- 

 significant. (Professor F. E. L. Beal's report.) 



The great fondness of the Red-Head for beech- 

 nuts, and its habit of storing them up for winter 

 use, in holes and crevices, are well known. 



The Ant-Eating Woodpecker 1 of the Pacific 

 slope is the most conspicuous and interesting 

 bird of this Order in that region, either around 

 the suburban home, on the ranch, or in the moun- 

 tain forests. This is the species which is now 

 celebrated in word and picture for its habit of 

 digging hundreds of holes in soft bark or dead 

 tree-trunks, and "storing" an acorn in each 

 hole, for future food. 



The Downy Woodpecker 2 is a small gray- 

 and-black species, modest and quiet in demeanor, 

 but quite as common about the haunts of man 

 as the golden-wing. It is the smallest species 

 found in the United States and is the one which 

 is most in evidence in winter. 



This bird ranks high as a destroyer of insects, 

 and in the percentage of insect food consumed 

 leads all other woodpeckers that have been 

 studied by the Biological Survey of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. An examination of one 

 hundred and forty stomachs revealed 74 per cent 

 of insect food and 25 of vegetable. The vege- 

 table food consisted chiefly of seeds of the poison 

 ivy, poison sumac, mullen, poke berries, dog- 

 wood and woodbine. The fruits consisted of 

 service berries, strawberries and apples. 



Apparently this bird is almost worth its weight 

 in gold to the farmer who has valuable trees 

 and fruit ; and in winter, the farmer who is wise 

 will put up suet, fat pork, and bones bearing 

 some raw meat, on the trees in his orchard and 

 woods. 



1 M el-an-er' pes for-mi-civ' o-rus. 



2 Pi'cus pu-bes'cens me-di-an'us. Length, 7 inches. 



