September 22, 2005 – a corny day

The acorn woodpecker colony by the granery trees has been a hotbed of activity for the last few days.

For whatever reason, there has been much calling and flitting from tree to tree.

Wherever one alights, others seem to immediately join it, whereupon the first one flies away. I've been wondering what explains this recent outbreak of apparent aggression – is this dominance behavior, establishing a pecking order? One knowlegeable birder suggested that this is the time the juveniles fledge, and they are chasing their parents around trying to cadge a few more free meals, while the parents are attempting to rid themselves of their incessant offspring. Another knowledgeable birder suggested that, in this matriarchical society, the adult females must chase their male offspring out of this nesting area, thus preventing inbreeding. You decide.

Meanwhile, on one of the snags south of the Rookery Pond, these three birds were hanging out and lazily preening, far from the madding crowd.