The Gabriola tattoo woodpecker
These holes must be the work of a woodpecker, and I wish I knew which one — this creature is all over the Gabriola forest. Whatever the bird is, I’d call it the tattoo woodpecker if I were naming it. Two reasons:
- This woodpecker creates tiny holes in the tree’s skin and injects something (more on that in a bit) that may change the appearance of the tree. The bird is a tattoo artist for trees.
- Woodpeckers make an almighty racket, banging away in nature’s version of a military tattoo.
What other woodpecker can represent both meanings of the word tattoo?
Now, onto what the woodpeckers are injecting into the tree. I’m convinced that woodpeckers are spreading mushroom spores from tree to tree — planting mushrooms as they go. If only I could get them to plant the mushrooms I want on the trees that would be convenient for me!
UPDATE: Woodpecker identified. It’s the red-breasted sapsucker.
Filed in birds,Gabriola Island,mushrooms,photos 2 Comments so far
2 Responses to “The Gabriola tattoo woodpecker”
Andrea on 01 Jan 2010 at 5:41 pm #
Here on the other coast, I would say that was a yellow bellied sapsucker – the pattern of straight lines of holes forming almost a grid is diagnostic for that particular woodpecker. But I checked the distribution map and they only occur east of the Rockies. I think the sapsucker you have locally would be red breasted sapsucker. At one time, they were considered all part of the same species but have now been separated by the taxonomists.
But I have no clue about them injecting stuff into the tree…never saw that before…interesting.
All the best and Happy New Year!
Gabriolan on 01 Jan 2010 at 7:20 pm #
Andrea, I hope some local birdwatcher will come along and tell me which bird leaves this pattern of holes!
The bit about woodpeckers distributing mushroom spores is my own theory. I hope to find that some learned person has come out with it before now — otherwise I might have to get out there and do some work myself, which would be a pain. :-)