Hello Tweeters,
I found a dead male hairy woodpecker in my driveway yesterday. It appeared
to have suffered some major trauma around its throat. Hairy woodpeckers
have nested around my property for years and this is a first. I've pretty
much ruled out four-legged predators since the bird and its feathers were
intact. Anybody have any information about competition behavior between
birds that could result in mortality? Could it be crows or blackbirds? The
first female redwing blackbird visited the feeding station a few days ago;
they bring their kids to the feeders every year. The hairy woodpeckers
visit the suet feeders daily.

Another interesting note; a few weeks ago I encountered a young woodpecker
(possibly a hairy?) running around the driveway and in and out of the woods,
squawking very loudly. I could not get close enough to determine the
species; the little guy was very fast on its feet. I assumed it fell out of
its nest and was looking for its mother. Now, after seeing a dead adult, I
wonder if the baby was forced out of the nest. It was not injured, but I
did not see it after that day and have not seen any young hairy woodpeckers
at the suet feeders yet. I was not able to locate the nest site.

In my area (mostly wooded) we have hairy and pileated woodpeckers, and
red-breasted sapsuckers. I used to have downy woodpeckers but haven't seen
them in a few years.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

-jody


Jody Breckenridge
North of Monroe, rural Snohomish County