Details
Melanerpes formicivorus
The acorn woodpecker is a highly social woodpecker of oak woodlands from North America into Central America. It drills storage holes and caches acorns one by one.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses oak woodland, pine-oak forest, and open montane woods. Groups center on granary trees, snags, poles, or wooden structures used for storage.
Length is 19-23 cm and weight 65-90 g. The body is black and white, the face is white, the crown red, and the stout bill is built for drilling.
Diurnal and social, family groups defend territories and granaries. Members share duties such as watching, drilling, and feeding young.
An omnivore, it eats acorns, insects, sap, and fruit. Acorns collected in autumn are fitted into small holes and eaten later.
Several adults in a group may participate in breeding. Young are raised in a shared cavity, and non-breeding helpers often feed them.
It is listed as Least Concern. The species depends strongly on oak crops and suitable storage trees, so removal of snags can reduce habitat.
