Bird · GBIF taxon 2478133
Acorn Woodpecker
Melanerpes formicivorusAlso known as Ant-eating Woodpecker, Granivore Woodpecker
Acorn Woodpeckers live in complex social groups that cooperatively drill thousands of individual holes into snags or poles to store winter food reserves. These clown-faced birds defend massive communal granaries with constant, laughing calls that echo through the canopy. Group members share nest cavities, raise offspring together, and maintain their acorn caches across generations.
Cooperative BreederOak WoodlandSocial
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Acorns
- Flying Insects
- Tree Sap
Predators
- Cooper's Hawk
- Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Rat Snakes
ThreatsOak woodland clearing, loss of dead trees, nest cavity competition
HabitatsOak woodlands, pine-oak forests, oak-lined suburban parks
Life span9–15 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderPiciformes
- FamilyPicidae
- GenusMelanerpes
- SpeciesMelanerpes formicivorus
Native
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe from a respectful distance.
Responsible observation
- Spotting Granaries: Scan standing dead trees and wooden poles for hundreds of neatly fitted acorns.
- Listening for Calls: Listen for their distinctive, laughing waka-waka vocalizations echoing through oak groves.
- Yard Feeding: Offer suet or whole peanuts in oak woodland yards to attract nearby social groups.
Competitor (c) Dawn Beattie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Predator "Cooper's Hawk - immature" by Kaaren Perry is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Genus Relative "Birds - Red-headed Woodpecker by MarvinnAnn Patterson" by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. · cc0
Genus Relative http://www.naturespicsonline.com/ / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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