Acorn Woodpecker

Acorn woodpeckers live in communities often becoming territorial over resources such as water.

NPS/J. Ruffner

These noisy and conspicuous birds have the distinct look of a circus clown with their white face, black bill, and red crown. Their black wings with a distict white patch and white rump can be seen while in flight.

The scrub oak trees of Mt. Logan make a plentiful habitat for Acorn Woodpeckers. As a group, these woodpeckers are known as a “bushel”, which is fitting as they store away acorns in trees or other small spaces. The space used by Acorn Woodpeckers for storing their food may be a tree, tree bark, or another small space that fits acorns tightly.

Living in communities, Acorn Woodpecker families will maintain their caches of food. This includes defending the acorns from other birds, moving the acorns to small holes as they dry out, and keeping the holes stocked. Acorn caches allow the birds to stay in the same territory and avoid migration during the winter.