Woody Woodpecker leaving his message of love

Woody Woodpecker leaving his message of love

It's that time of year in Georgia when the birds are out in force with many species hitting the ten bird feeders and bath on the property.  The golden finches and cardinals are my favorite.  Woodpeckers are out pecking on the trees and telephone poles.  The red headed ones look pretty and tend to show off their territorial skills by sometimes forcing the gold finches and tufted titmouse away from the feeders.  I always wondered why woodpeckers peck on telephone poles since there can't be any bugs to dig out, certainly none that don't taste foul from years of soaking in creosote.  Turns out the birds use the poles for the same thing humans do — communication. 

Woodpeckers don't use the wires, just the poles.  The dried wood makes satisfying sounds that can be heard by other birds for blocks around.  If the wind is right the sound can carry half a mile as I can hear birds pecking away on my neighbor Jim’s property about that far away through the woods and over the hill.

I think most of the telephone-pole communicators are males advertising for mates. In that regard they are remarkably like humans.  I learned Morse code many years ago at the Army's Rotary Wing Flight Training School in Alabama at Fort Rucker and realized recently that woodpecker code is quite similar to the old Morse classic — and the birds use their own version of text messaging.

The other day, one on the property was sending out a signal saying, "Macho male w/big bill and great plumage seeks female w/strong nesting instinct, for serious mating.  Avail. immed."

I've also learned that woodpeckers on the property send their signal several times and sign off with a jaunty, "Shave & a haircut, two bits sound."  Most of you in the younger generation probably won’t remember that one.  Those bird brains near retail areas probably pick up the local jargon and substitute, "Thank u have a nice day" as everyone in the south even the birds are congenial.  

Banging your head against solid wood to meet females reminds me of my younger days, but that's another story.  I’ve got way too many scars and a flat forehead from those times.

Welcome springtime, we welcome the warmth, the longer days, and the coming of summer.

Ice

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