Today an Old World woodpecker joins Birdorable! We welcome the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker to our flock.
Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers have a large range in temperate and boreal forests across much of Europe and Asia. At least 10 subspecies are recognized, with a variety of plumage and size differences across the range. All birds have a recognizable black and white pattern with males showing a bright red cap. Some birds, like our Birdorable version, have a buff wash over the white underparts and various levels of buff coloration around the face.
This species is the smallest woodpecker in all of Europe. They nest in tree cavities and lay five to 8 eggs per brood. Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers that survive through fledging are thought to have an average lifespan of about 7 years.
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker by hedera.baltica (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Tomorrow we’ll add a New World wader with a newish name. Prior to the 1980s the species was named after a state in the southeast of the U.S. Do you know this bird?
Thanks for tuning in to our 2018 Birdorable Bonanza. We're kicking off this burst of new Birdorable birds with a species of New World woodpecker: the Acorn Woodpecker.
Acorn Woodpeckers have an unmistakable adult plumage of black and white with a deep red crown. These social birds breed cooperatively.
They also gather and hoard their namesake food communally, using dead trees or utility poles to store thousands of acorns.
Tomorrow's new bird is an endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper finch. This specialized bird lives on the Big Island and is closely associated with the Mamane tree. Do you know the species?
Today our Birdorable Bonanza: 2015 Advent Edition continues with a New World woodpecker: the Northern Flicker!
The Northern Flicker is a fairly common and widespread species across its range and can be found across North America. There are two living subspecies: the yellow-shafted and the red-shafted.
Yellow-shafted flickers show yellow under the tail and wings; these are found in the eastern part of the range. Red-shafted flickers are found in the west and show red under the tail and wings.
In the past, these subspecies have been considered completely separate full species. The closely related Gilded Flicker was formerly also considered to be the same species as the Northern Flicker.
Unusual among woodpeckers, the Northern Flicker can often be found feeding on the ground. They like to eat ants and other insects which they forage by probing the earth with their beaks.
Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted) by wplynn (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted) by Nick Varvel (CC BY 2.0)
Red-shafted Northern Flicker by Dominic Sherony (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The Northern Flicker is our 626th Birdorable bird. Be sure to check out our collection of apparel and gifts featuring the Birdorable Northern Flicker!
Our Bonanza continues tomorrow with a small and very colorful flycatcher of South America. Can you guess tomorrow's species?
Today our Birdorable Bonanza: 2015 Advent Edition continues with a fairly common Old World woodpecker species: the Great Spotted Woodpecker!
The Great Spotted Woodpecker is found across Europe and northern Asia. This is a resident (non-migratory) species for the most part, though birds in the coldest areas may move seasonally.
Though common across most of their range, this mid-sized woodpecker tends to be quite inconspicuous, spending most of its time well-hidden in tree foliage. They are often heard -- either drumming (tree-pecking) or calling (vocalizing) before they are seen.
Great Spotted Woodpeckers have a varied diet. The will feed on insects foraged from crevices in bark. They also eat plant material like seeds and fruit. Eggs, young chicks and even small rodents are also common food items for Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
Adult male Great Spotted Woodpecker by Tom Lee (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Great Spotted Woodpecker Portrait by Andy Morffew (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Adult female and juvenile male great spotted woodpeckers by Dave_S. (CC BY 2.0)
This week's featured t-shirt is our Save the Red-cockaded Woodpecker design on a Men's Basic Dark T-Shirt. The male Red-cockaded Woodpecker has a small red streak on the side of its head, called a cockade, which gives the species its name. These woodpecker live in the southeastern United States, and unfortunately their conservation status is considered vulnerable. Show your support for the Red-cockaded Woodpecker with this Birdorable graphic tee.
Pileated Woodpeckers are the largest species of woodpecker currently found in the Americas (the believed-extinct Ivory-billed Woodpecker and Imperial Woodpecker were both larger). During nesting season, both male and female birds take care of incubating the eggs, though males will take over for overnight incubation. Both parents care for the nestlings as they grow.
Tomorrow's bird is an extinct bird that used to live in the United States. Can you guess what it will be?
