I have often seen woodpeckers around my area foraging in mixed species flocks including with chickadees and robins, I thought it was for strength in numbers, but now I am wondering if the other birds were following the woodpecker around (in British Columbia).

I have Red-bellied, Downy, Hairy, and Pileated Woodpeckers in my yard, and have witnessed the Red-bellied creating  and nesting in cavities. We also get White-breasted nuthatch and Black-capped Chickadee, which may not be around so often if they weren't able to co-opt old woodpecker nests.

I watched everyday, as I walked my dog, a Red-bellied Woodpecker excavate a nest cavity in a dead palm (in Florida).  After he made the cavity, he starting drumming.  Unfortunately, his nest was stolen by European Starlings.  Undeterred, he made another cavity on the opposite side of the palm near the top.  And once again Starlings took the cavity.  Maybe a third nest cavity would work ... nope another stolen cavity.  Three cavities in one season, all stolen by Starlings.  But in the end, a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers took the original nest, expanded it and fledged young.  Woodpeckers won in the end :)

This is all so fascinating to me. I have a quick little story relating to other animals, like the woodpecker, that can make holes in wood. My husband just arrived home from a skiing trip at our cabin in the Sierras and related this latest episode to me while I was reading this segment. We have previously had something chewing through the pipes near the water heater which caused a huge mess. We’ve also had a woodpecker determined to drum into our woodshed made of plywood. Eventually, hanging strips of aluminum foil caused it to lose interest. He arrived this time to find pieces of insulation on the ground and a fist sized hole chewed into the wood floor in the main room obviously made from underneath the cabin.  As he was trying to get to sleep the first night, he actually heard chewing all the way from our upstairs bedroom! So, in the middle of the night, he had to nail a piece of metal over the hole, hoping whatever made it was outside the cabin. Neither he nor I would ever harm an animal but I find it very amusing that he may win a few battles, but is ultimately losing this never ending war!

The re nesting alone is huge for other birds and mammals.  The ability to forage for insects in so many different ways that helps out how many different species of insect eaters let alone the sap suckers.  They truly are a wonder in their ability to help out so many different animals,

I can think of three things that my local woodpeckers do to help the local ecosystem. One is that when they make their nest holes, they can leave it behind for the squirrels in my area to use as a home or food storage, as well as for other cavity nesters. When the Acorn Woodpeckers in my area store acorns, they might not be able to eat them all so there is food for other animals and preserved seeds that may fall into the soil and grow new trees. Finally, the two woodpecker species I see regularly, always seem to be drilling into tree limbs for bugs. So, the woodpeckers are getting food, but helping the trees stay healthy so they can grow and make more seeds, as well as exposing bugs they can't eat themselves for other animals to enjoy. All of these actions have wide sweeping effects in an ecosystem to keep it functioning and healthy. If woodpeckers weren't there to do the things I mentioned, my favorite hiking places would look very different and there might not be as much diversity in plant or animal life due to plant die off and animals having to migrate to find better places to live.

We have woodpeckers in our local neighborhood, but until this course I had never focused on their behavior (e.g., distinctions between drumming, drilling, and tapping). Most of the time when I have noticed a woodpecker, it is because of drumming behavior. Previously, I thought they were searching for food. Without woodpeckers, food sources for other bird and certain mammal species would not be readily available nor would nesting sites. There would be a significant ripple effect up and down the food chain.

Woodpeckers directly and indirectly are managing the insect population in a given area. Without them, the insect population might grow too large and have a ripple effect on other species. Additionally, the fact that woodpeckers create the majority of potential nesting holes for other birds and selected mammals means that without them the habitat for other species would be diminished. Again, another ripple effect would be created.

I have observed some behavior by local woodpeckers, in deep forest as well as at backyard feeder. However, I felt I had more questions than firm facts - so I looked around online and found the information below. If anything is amiss, please let me know. Local Woodpeckers and local system The woodpeckers most common to the Northeast United States and on my personal Life List are: ·         Downy Woodpecker ·         Hairy Woodpecker ·         Red-bellied Woodpecker ·         Pileated Woodpecker ·         Northern Flicker ·         Yellow-bellied Sapsucker The Red-headed Woodpecker is endangered in my state due to loss of open land. I have not seen one on my personal list. Extended Reading: After reading up on some of these woodpeckers and their use of nest cavities and sap wells I found the following: ~Northern Flickers: often seen on the ground where they eat ants. Often nearby, especially if low brush is close by for protection, Song Sparrows and House Sparrows will be seen in the area also pecking away at the ants. ~Pileated Woodpeckers: were seen only in deep hardwood and/or mixed woods. Usually, they are seen in pairs. Their drilling is loud and can be heard throughout the woods – even during non-breeding season. What was learned: they make a round hole for nesting; while they make an oblong hole for feeding. ~Red-bellied Woodpecker: stores food away for the winter such as acorns. While seen at backyard feeders, they are also seen in deep woods with lots of oak trees. What was learned: this woodpecker may drink at sap wells made by sapsuckers. ~Downy Woodpecker: smallest of woodpeckers ~ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: creates the sap wells used by many birds, mammals, and insects. Referenced as the master sap sucker.  What was learned is that the sapsucker maintains its sap wells daily and will defend them. Local Birds and Animals that use woodpecker cavities: ·         Tree Swallows ·         Eastern Bluebirds ·         Tufted titmouse ·         Carolina and House Wrens ·         Carolina Chickadees ·         White-breasted Nuthatches ·         Kestrels ·         European Starlings ·         Eastern Screech Owl (prefers Flicker cavities) ·         Red squirrels ·         Porcupines (this would be further north from my state) ·         Bats ·         Deer Mice ·         Raccoons   Local Birds and Animals that drink from sap wells: ·         Ruby-throated Hummingbirds ·         Ruby-crowned Kinglet ·         Bats ·         Squirrels ·         Insects such as: moths, bees, and wasps   Re second question: without woodpeckers, life would be challenging for other birds, mammals, and insects. While we have a great many old forests and re-growth forests in the northeast and in the places where I bird there are many dead trees and trees with cavities; the demand is high in this part of the country. The number of bird species that use abandoned cavities is in great demand. Even with the one box next in my backyard, this spring, the eastern bluebirds were forced away while a Carolina Wren pair and a House Sparrow pair vied for the box. In the woods, it must be more demanding.   ·         CT.Gov Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection ·         Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute ·         Urban Forest Initiative Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, University of Kentucky

I never realized how integral woodpeckers were to their ecosystems, so reviewing these lessons and seeing this flow chart with the Red-naped Sapsucker, it's really interesting! I was aware with Acorn Woodpeckers and their cache of acorn I see in trees and infrastructure and understand what an amazing resource that is for local wildlife. Now, however, I want to pay more attention to other woodpecker species I get in my area and see how they impact the environment around them!

We have several types woodpeckers in our wooded surroundings and hear the drilling of new shelters being constructed.  We have enjoyed watching woodpeckers go in and out of their homes by using our binoculars- they do take turns caring for those incubated eggs We have noticed squirrels using these shelters so this article was very informative I enjoyed reading about the hummingbird getting energy from the sap when nectar from flowers is low we feed birds Thank you for your articles and videos

One of the things this lesson did was to touch on the interrelationships among bird species and some mammals as well. One of the things I'm most learning to appreciate is the interconnectedness among not only species of birds and mammals, but also insects and plants. I have no doubt that researchers are only just beginning to understand those relationships. For example, I have read that trees emit chemical scents when attacked by certain insects that other trees nearby pickup on to begin defending themselves. And other plants emit chemical scents that attract insect predators of caterpillars that are beginning to attack there leaves.  I wonder if woodpeckers can detect those plant scent signals to know that a caterpillar infestation has begun or that there are insects boring inside.  And do a tree's chemical defenses help keep insects away from the woodpecker's nest cavity?

Years ago I attended a lecture in Yosemite given by a ranger on why Woodpeckers are keystone species of the forest. That information stayed with me and has now been reinforced with the chart above. " One hypothesis suggests that when the woodpeckers’ feathers get coated with the formic acid the ants emit as a defense, the ants stop recognizing the woodpecker as an intruder because it smells like they do. " Also found the adaptability comment above fascinating.

PALMA COCO PLUMOSO (Syagrus romanzoffiana). PALM TREE - SWEET SAP.   Interesting is the relationship between woodpeckers and hummingbirds and other birds in their diet where they obtain energy through the sap of trees, in this case of palm trees. They enjoy sipping the Tree Sap from freshly drilled holes, in fact, several species of Hummingbirds depend on them, during seasons when little to no flower nectar is available.

Loved the graphics showing the sapsucker and the web of life! In our Seattle-area yard, the red-breasted sapsucker runs a feeding station featuring several rows of small holes. I’ve seen the Anna’s hummingbird stop by for a snack. We also recently discovered that we have flying squirrels in the yard, so they may be eating there as well. Chestnut-backed chickadees and red-breasted nuthatch are nesting in holes in a nearby snag that were excavated by sapsuckers, flickers, or pileated woodpeckers. Woodpeckers add so much to our environment! I hate to think where we’d be without them.

Previously, I described how a Downy Woodpecker family was raised in a tree next to our house.  Even though the section of the limb excavated did rot and fall from the tree, a partial section of the cavity remains.  I noticed Carolina Chickadees showing interest in that cavity earlier this spring.  However, they have moved on.  Perhaps the cavity was not the correct size for their nest. Had the cavity been a good nesting spot, the Chickadees might have been able to raise a brood using the cavity.

One of my early birding experiences involved watching a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker working holes in a cottonwood along the shores of Lake Erie in the spring. He was working just above our heads, methodically tapping even rows of holes in the tree and enjoying the sap. He flew off. Within a few minutes a Black-throated Blue Warbler flew to the holes, gripping as best it could the side of the tree as it picked insects from the hole. Pretty cool, we thought. The next visitor rushed past us - a Cooper's Hawk with one thing on his mind - the warbler. We held our breath. The warbler escaped. A circle of life moment....

Woodpeckers are pretty incredible in shaping the ecosystem. I imagine they also help breaking down dead and decaying trees as well to make room for new growth.

I never considered the idea that woodpeckers might be a keystone species in an ecosystem. Thanks for the Woodpeckers as Engineers diagram with detailed explanation. It will stick in my mind as I observe hairy, downy, and pileated woodpeckers and flickers do their magic. It also reminded me of the importance of leaving tree snags standing.

Last year I had the chance to observe a couple of yellow-bellied Sapsuckers at work. When they left their feeding site, others would come to feed. There was a red Squirrel, a red-eyed Vireo and a ruby-throated Hummingbird that visited the feeding site. Only the ruby-throated Hummingbird was tolerated at the feeding site when the yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were there. If you are interested in seeing some photos, see this link to my eBird list. https://ebird.org/checklist/S142263900?_gl=1*1byaunl*_ga*ODQ3NDc2MDY4LjE3MTE0ODc3MzY.*_ga_QR4NVXZ8BM*MTcxMzQ1OTI2NS44MS4xLjE3MTM0NTkyODMuNDIuMC4w&_ga=2.65895214.1472895500.1711670921-847476068.1711487736

I have observed the different species of animals that utilize the woodpecker's holes for living, for example saw a Screech Owl emerge from a woodpecker made hole during a bird count. In California saw some flying insects and birds taking advantage of the sap coming off the tree when a sapsucker flew away. If there were not to have woodpeckers I think part of the food chain will change based on what woodpecker can "unearth" by digging onto the trees.

To me, woodpeckers are one of the most successful birds in different environments, using local resources while providing shelter and food for other animals. Last week, I saw a European Crested Tit in the forest using a woodpecker nest. It was wonderful to see how each organism is linked to the others in a very complex interactions for the benefit of all.

I don't see woodpeckers enough to observe how they fit into the ecosystem, but I know that I would be very sad if I never saw any more woodpeckers, and I would guess that there would be an overpopulation of the insects that are eaten by the woodpeckers.

I will try to think like the food web example given.  Thanks for explaining all the related photos,  I couldn't have figured out what the diagram was detailing until it was explained. Pileated Woodpeckers leave large openings, usually square, in trees and often make more than one during their nest building work.  No doubt other cavity nesters and rodents use them. The rodents feed owls and hawks. The Pileated Woodpeckers also strip large areas of bark off trees in their search for ants, leaving some of the available protein for other woodland creatures. So, I only got to 3 trophic levels and couldn't figure out how these things feed nutrients back into the forest.