Species: Melanerpes formicivorus
Acorn Woodpecker
Species
Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Aves
Order
Piciformes
Family
Picidae
Genus
Melanerpes
NatureServe
Classification
Other Global Common Names
Carpintero Bellotero - Pic glandivore
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Other Birds
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Piciformes - Picidae - Melanerpes - Benitez-Diaz (1993) examined variation in morphometric and plumage coloration characters and identified seven geographic units within the species (two in the U.S.), each of which is diagnosable based on combinations of discrete and continuous character states.
Ecology and Life History
Migration
true - false - false
Non-migrant
true
Locally Migrant
false
Food Comments
Feeds on insects in summer (e.g., grasshoppers, ants, beetles, flies); sallies from snag or fence post for flying insects; also eats tree sap and some fruit, rarely small lizards, bird eggs and nestlings. During winter eats acorns & other nuts. Stores acorns in holes drilled in trees, in crevice, or among epiphytes. In Colombia, does not store or rely heavily on acorns; feeds on insects, sap, and fruit year-round (Kattan 1988). Populations in Middle America not dependent on acorns.
Reproduction Comments
May produce 2-3 broods annually. Clutch size usually is 4-5. Incubation probably lasts about 14 days. Nests cooperatively in parts of range; this behavior influenced by mast crop. Groups typically contain 1-4 breeding males, 1-2 breeding females, and 0-10 nonbreeding group offspring of past reproductive seasons. May nest as late as September or October.
Ecology Comments
Social; lives in permanently territorial family groups of 2-15 individuals. <br><br>May compete with Lewis' woodpecker for food. <br><br>Winter food supply (acorns) is a major limiting factor (Hannon et al. 1987).
Length
23
Weight
83
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
1996-12-02
Global Status Last Changed
1996-12-02
Other Status
LC - Least concern
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
<img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?US.AZ=S5&US.CA=SNR&US.NN=S3&US.NM=S3&US.OR=S3&US.TX=S4&US.WA=S1" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
Global Range
RESIDENT: northwestern Oregon south through western California to southern Baja California; from northern Arizona, northern New Mexico, western Texas, south through Mexico to extreme western Panama; in South America in northern Andes of Colombia.