Fun Woodpecker Trivia

A. How many species of woodpeckers are in the world?

Acorn Woodpecker

1. 10
2. 20
3. 100
4. over 200

B. What’s the smallest woodpecker in North America?

1. Downy
2. Red-headed
3. Bar-breasted Piculet
4. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

C. What is the average life span of a wild woodpecker?

1. 4-11 years
2. 8-22 years
3. 16-44 years
4. 32-88 years

D. What kind of woodpecker was Woody Woodpecker?

1. Pileated Woodpecker
2. Ivory-billed Woodpecker
3. Acorn Woodpecker
4. Red-bellied Woodpecker

E. What is the woodpecker's favorite feeder?

1. Suet feeder
2. Peanut feeder
3. Mealworm feeder
4. Seed cylinder Feeder

A. There are over 200 known species of woodpeckers. Many are on the threatened or endangered lists. Two species, the Ivory-billed and the Imperial, may already be extinct.

There are eight woodpeckers found in Michigan.

B. The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest and most common woodpecker in North America. At 6-7 inches in length, this little black and white woodpecker with a red patch on the back of the male’s head is very friendly at the suet feeders.

Bar-breasted Piculet is the smallest known woodpecker in the world. At around 3.25 inches, it is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru.

C. The average lifespan of these wily birds is 4-11 years depending on the species.

D. Accordingto NPR: “It turns out that Walter Lantz, the animator who created Woody Woodpecker, had personally given eminent ornithologist Kimball Garrett a copy of his biography, and in that book it says that Walter and his wife, Grace, while honeymooning in a California cabin, were amused by an acorn woodpeckerwho was poking nuts under the roof shingles. They liked the "little raucous scream" the bird emitted. Grace said to Walter, "Why don't you make him into a character?"”

E. Trick question. A simple suet feeder is an easy way to attract a variety of beautiful woodpeckers but at my house woodpeckers come to a variety of feeders. They are even on my seed feeder. They select the peanuts and sunflower chips out of my no-mess seed blend. These friendly birds that make a “laughing” call when I’m filling the feeders, are very entertaining to have in the yard.

Related Articles: 

What’s the best suet for Michigan wild birds? http://bit.ly/tcKasp

Michigan made suet feeders: http://bit.ly/rbKskX

How many woodpeckers are in Michigan? http://bit.ly/tJ7e6S

Fun Facts about Woodpeckers http://bit.ly/tQ5lwt
How do I Attract Woodpeckers? http://bit.ly/o4CLqI
Woodpeckers of the world: http://www.camacdonald.com/birding/Sampler2-Woodpeckers.html