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March 2016

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From:
Casey Tucker <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Casey Tucker <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 23 Mar 2016 21:05:40 -0400
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Hi All,
One of the things to consider is that Red-headed Woodpeckers, unlike most other woodpecker species, will cache food to help get them through winter months.  Some of the items they like to cache include acorns, beech nuts, various other seeds, and live insects, especially grasshoppers.
During the months of winter the cold temperatures act like a refrigerator or cold storage for these cached items,preventing them from growing mold, fungus and other degrading bacteria.  During warmer winters these cached items don't necessarily last, especially in the more southern portions of the species' distribution.  As a result the birds may have to go in search of new locations to find food, especially, as Kathi pointed out, during times of low mast production.
Gray Jays experience a similar problem with cached prey items in the southern part of that species' range. It's especially detrimental to Gray Jays because they rely on the cached food items to allow them to breed early, while snow is still on the ground.  However if warmer winter temperatures cause their caches to rot prematurely they have to abandon their nests to go in search of food.
This is just one possible explanation for the absence of Red-headed Woodpeckers from the more southwestern part of the state and their presence/persistence a bit further north.
Just something to consider.
Casey TuckerAdjunct InstructorBiology/Natural SciencesCentral Ohio Technical College
Join us for the Ohio Avian Research ConferenceOct. 22nd at Denison University, Granville, OHhttp://tuckercasey.wix.com/aacri-birds#!oarc2016/djj57

 Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2016 20:11:31 -0400> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [Ohio-birds] Red-headed Woodpeckers
> To: [log in to unmask]
> 
> There are Red-headed Woodpeckers in Trumbull Co. (NE Ohio0.
>    Years ago they were "established"  in a spot with large white oak
> trees.  They were there for years.  Then suddenly gone.   The trees.
> "habitat"  are still there but no Red-heads.      We've wondered about
> their disappearance?   And that question has not been answered.     You
> have experienced what we experienced.   ???  Carole Babyak, Howland Twp.
> 
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