Woodpecker World
by Nick Boren
Title
Woodpecker World
Artist
Nick Boren
Medium
Photograph - Nikon Photography
Description
Another one of my Acorn Woodpecker images that I captured at the William Finley Wildlife Refuge near Corvallis Oregon.
I don't get to see many of these beautiful birds around my neck of the woods, so it was a real treat to see and photograph this one!
From Wikipedia:
Acorn woodpeckers are cooperative breeders, living and breeding in family groups of up to 15 individuals. Field studies have shown that within the same population, groups range from monogamous pairs to polygynandrous breeding collectives consisting of coalitions of up to 8 males and 4 females, along with nonbreeding "helpers at the nest" that are offspring from prior breeding events. Regardless of composition, all breeder males (who are usually brothers or fathers and their sons) compete for matings with all breeder females (who are sisters or a mother and her daughter), the latter of which lay their eggs communally in the same nest cavity. There is considerable variability within and among populations, suggesting extraordinary social plasticity.[10] Cooperative breeding, defined as more than two birds taking care of nestlings in the nest, is a relatively rare evolutionary trait that is thought to occur in only nine percent of bird species.[11] Most cooperative breeding species have helpers at the nest, but acorn woodpeckers are unusual in exhibiting both helping at the nest and cooperative polygamy (polygynandry). It is generally believed that limited territories are a key driver of cooperative breeding behavior in birds, and in the case of the acorn woodpecker, the availability of acorn storage granaries (see Food and feeding) is a key limited resource.
Uploaded
March 3rd, 2024
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