Acorn Woodpeckers are medium-sized woodpeckers with straight, spike-like bills and stiff, wedge-shaped tails used for support as the birds cling to tree trunks.
These woodpeckers live in oak and mixed oak-evergreen forests on slopes and mountains in the Southwest and West Coast. They’re tolerant of humans, and you can find them in towns where there are acorns and suitable places to store them.
Males have a red cap and whitish forehead. In flight you can see their white rump and with patches.
Male
Females have a black back and black cap. Their red feathers on the head is restricted to the back of the head unlike males.
Female
They are very unusual woodpeckers that live in large groups, hoard acorns, and breed cooperatively. Group members gather acorns by the hundreds and wedge them into holes they’ve made in a tree trunk or telephone pole. Acorn Woodpeckers also spend considerable time catching insects on the wing. They give raucous, scratchy waka-waka calls frequently.
I found a youtube vid of Acorn Woodpeckers storing acorns in tree trucks. See link below. Very interesting to watch them.
Leaving Catalina State Park in Oro Valley, AZ last January we traveled to Amado, AZ and stayed at a private RV park called DeAnza RV Resort. The reason we stayed in Amado was to travel to Madera Canyon.
Madera Canyon is a birders paradise. Here is a quick link if you might be interested in traveling to this gorgeous area. https://friendsofmaderacanyon.org
One of the common birds seen in this area is the Mexican Jay. I first saw this Jay on December 29, 2020 and was number 398 on my birding list. They are fun to photograph and it is fun to just sit and watch their interactions with each other.
The soft-blue and gray Mexican Jay looks like a duskier version of other scrub-jays (whose genus they share) but has a smaller black bill and lacks a blue necklace. Its range extends from Mexico into pine-oak-juniper woodlands of the southwestern U.S.
Notice how much white the Mexican Jay has compared to other species of Scrub Jays.
Mexican Jays live in family groups of up to 25 individuals and may have several active nests in one territory. All group members share the responsibility of feeding young. They rarely disperse and stay with their groups throughout their lives.
~December, 2022 Catalina State Park, Oro Valley, AZ
They are so fun to watch, postering to defend they territory.Looking tough!
When the light hits their head and throat it is a gorgeous sight. I saw my first Anna’s on January 3, 2009 at Catalina State Park.
Like the Rufous Hummingbird, Anna’s are pugnacious and well known for its territorial behavior. Males fiercely defend feeding areas and chase away other male hummingbirds and even large insects such as bumblebees and hawk moths that try to feed there. They are known to eat more insects than any other hummingbird. They can live up to eight and half years.
From the flowers and insects they feed on, to the trees and bushes they rest and nest in, to their brilliant colors and strengths – all astonishing examples of nature’s creations.
~We began our winter journey back in November, 2022. We traveled from Colorado to Cottonwood, AZ and stayed at Dead Horse Ranch State Park for two weeks. It is by far one of my very favorite AZ state parks. The birding and hiking trails are wonderful. A few birds were in the area, but not many.
A beautiful little Junco.White-breasted Nuthatch.A Bridled Titmouse.Another sweet Junco.I have searched to ID this Sparrow. It appears to me to be a Field Sparrow; however they aren’t listed in birding books as being in AZ. Any ideas?A crazy pano photo of the birding stations.
The town of Cottonwood is a fun place to visit, although it might be best known as a gateway to the nearby red rocks of Sedona. Cottonwood has plenty charm of its own. Start with the quaint Old Town district and branch out to the banks of the lushly green Verde River and the nearby historic towns of Clarkdale and Jerome. The Verde Canyon Railroad offers a beautiful four hour, 20 mile train ride through the canyon. It is worth checking into. https://verdecanyonrr.com
If you enjoy Mexican food give Pepe’s in Cottonwood a try. Not much to look at from the outside, but the food is great. It seems a favorite of the locals.
Start your day, like this Curve-billed, in a contemplative mood.
It just struck me since he was so still and with eyes tilted down that he was in deep thought. Funny how us humans can project our “feelings” on the wildlife we see.
Wolf Song Blog 