Meet the Green Woodpecker, the avian equivalent of an anteater, and the second star of our Birdorable Bonanza 2010. This vibrant bird, with its striking green plumage, offers a fascinating glimpse into the adaptability and ecological niche that birds can occupy.

Green Woodpeckers are a spectacle of nature, primarily found frolicking across the landscapes of Europe and parts of western Asia. Their presence is notably significant in countries like France, Spain, and Germany, where they contribute to over half of their global population. What sets these birds apart is not just their vivid coloration but their unusual feeding habits.

Unlike their wood-boring cousins, Green Woodpeckers have carved out a niche that involves foraging for their food on the ground. Their diet is remarkably specialized, focusing almost exclusively on ants. This peculiar choice of sustenance has earned them the nickname "avian anteaters." They use their long, sticky tongues to probe into ant colonies, extracting their prey with precision. This diet is not only a testament to their adaptability but also highlights the intricate relationships within ecosystems, where every species plays a role in maintaining the balance.

The Green Woodpecker's approach to life is a departure from the typical woodpecker behavior. Most woodpeckers are known for their characteristic pecking on tree trunks, a behavior that serves multiple purposes, including foraging for insects, creating nesting sites, and communicating with other woodpeckers. However, the Green Woodpecker spends a significant amount of its time on the ground, its bright green plumage blending seamlessly with the grass, as it hunts for ants.

Observing a Green Woodpecker in its natural habitat is a treat for birdwatchers. Their vibrant plumage, combined with their distinctive laughing call, adds a layer of charm to the forests and woodlands they inhabit. The sight of a Green Woodpecker diligently foraging on the ground, undeterred by the presence of onlookers, is a reminder of the diversity and adaptability of bird life.

Tomorrow, we turn our attention to a beautiful little yellow bird that breeds in cavities in North America. Can you guess what it will be?

In the next 18 days we’ll be introducing a new Birdorable bird every day as part of our Birdorable Bonanza 2010. The first bird is this Sandhill Crane. Sandhill Cranes are large birds found in grassland and marshes throughout North America. Nesting usually occurs close to water. Their preferred feeding grounds are fields or shallow water; they are omnivorous and find food by foraging, probing into the soft soil with their beaks or hunting small prey.

Sandhill Cranes along the Elkhorn Scenic Byway by Baker County Tourism (CC BY-ND 2.0)

Until July 24th we'll be adding a new Birdorable bird species every day. Here’s a sneak peek at tomorrow’s bird, a green anteater that lives in Europe and western Asia.

This week's featured t-shirt design is our renewed Birdorable Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Males have a bright, glossy red throat patch while females are duller but just as cute. Hummingbirds feed from flowers by hovering mid-air and sipping nectar out using their long narrow beaks and tongues. This is our cute Birdorable version of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, shown here on a ladies casual scoop shirt and men's basic t-shirt.

We're excited to announce that we'll be having another Birdorable Bonanza this summer! We had a bonanza last year, where we added a new bird every day for 17 days in a row (see Birdorable Bonanza 2009). It was so much fun we decided to do it again this year! Starting on July 7th, we'll be adding 18 new birds to Birdorable in our second annual Bonanza! Keep an eye on the blog or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to see all the new birds as they're added to the site each day. Here is a teaser. Can you guess what they'll be?

Today's highlighted t-shirt design is our Birdorable Black-necked Stilt, shown here on an infant creeper. These shorebirds live in western and southern parts of the United States and parts of Central America and South America. Aren't they adorable?

The American Crow is a common species across much of the United States, where they are year-round residents. Their summer range extends into Canada. American Crows are known to be highly intelligent. Scientists believe part of this is their ability to communicate with one another. They have also proven to be adept at solving food-gathering puzzles. In 2007, hacker Josh Klein developed a vending machine to train crows to pick up coins in return for peanuts.

With the innovative teaching machine, crows might someday be taught to perform other tasks, including picking up trash! The American Crow has been on Birdorable since September 2006. Be sure to check out our great collection of American Crow t-shirts & gifts!

The Sooty Tern is a seabird that breeds on equatorial islands. Outside of breeding, they rarely are seen on land. The Sooty Tern has two nicknames related to its loud and somewhat obnoxious call. It is called the Wideawake Tern; in Hawaiian its name means cacophony. The Sooty Tern used to be part of an important ritual for the people of Easter Island. The clan of the "birdman" who could collect the first egg from a Sooty or Grey-backed Tern each year would control the island's resources. The Sooty Tern has been on Birdorable since July 2007. Be sure to check out our great collection of Sooty Tern t-shirts & gifts!

The Eurasian Wren is found several times in European and Asian folklore.

The Wren, as it simply known in English-speaking parts of its range, is the star of the Grimm fairy tale "The Willow-Wren and the Bear." The Wren is called "King of the Winds" in Japan. The Druids considered the Wren to be a supreme bird, and Aristotle also had high praise for this little bird. According to one of Aesop's fables, the Wren is the "King of the Birds." The Wren earned this title by outsmarting the other birds, namely the high-flying Eagle.

The regal little Eurasian Wren has been on Birdorable since June, 2015. Prior to that time it was included on Birdorable as a lumped species with the Pacific Wren and the Winter Wren, both of North America. This post has been edited to reflect these changes.

Be sure to check out our collection of cute Wren t-shirts & gifts!

We recently added a few new wood-warblers to Birdorable, including the Nashville Warbler. Nashville Warblers are one of the more widespread North American warblers, migrating through much of the United States from their breeding grounds in southern Canada to their wintering grounds in Central America. Although named for the city where they were first noted for science, Nashville Warblers do not breed in Nashville - they only pass through during migration. Nashville Warblers are relatively easy to identify; although their grey-olive top and yellow bottom plumage is similar to the Tennessee and Orange-crowned Warblers, Nashvilles have prominent white eyerings which the others lack. Adult males also have an orange patch at the top of the head which is not always visible in the field, even though it's clear to see on our Birdorable. Have you ever seen a Nashville Warbler?

nashville-warbler-1 by bmajoros