File:Annual report (1901) (14770057623).jpg

Identifier: annualreport891901021newy (find matches)
Title: Annual report
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: New York (State). Forest, Fish and Game Commission
Subjects: Forests and forestry Fisheries Game and game-birds
Publisher: (Albany, N.Y. : The Commission)
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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r it drills holes in the bark of certain trees and drinks the sap. Italso feeds on cambium, insects, wild fruit and berries. In writing of the woodpeckers of this species in northern New York, in 1878,Dr. Merriam states: They really do considerable mischief by drilling holes in the bark of apple,thorn apple and mountain ash trees in such a way as to form girdles of punctures,,sometimes 2 feet or more in breadth (up and down) about the trunks and branches.* * * The holes, which are sometimes merely single punctures, and some-times squarish spaces (multiple punctures) nearly half an inch across, are placedso near together that not unfrequently they cover more of the tree than theremaining bark.. Hence, more than half of the bark is sometimes removed fromthe girdled portions, and the balance often dries up and comes off. Therefore itis not surprising that trees which have been extensively girdled generally die,and mountain ash are much more prone to do so than either aople or thorn apple
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YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERFull Figure Male, Upper Figure Female BIRDS AS CONSERVATORS OF THE FOREST. 249 trees, due, very likely, to their more slender stems. The motive which inducesthis species to operate thus upon young and healthy trees is, I think, but partlyunderstood. It is unquestionably true that they feed, to a certain extent, bothupon the inner bark and the fresh sap from these trees, but that the procure-ment of these two elements of sustenance, gratifying as they doubtless are, is theirchief aim in making the punctures I am inclined to dispute. As the sap exudesfrom the newly made punctures, thousands of flies, yellow-jackets and other insectscongregate about the place, till the hum of their wings suggests a swarm of bees.If, now, the tree be watched, the woodpecker will soon be seen to return andalight over the part of the girdle which he has most recently punctured. Herehe remains, with motionless body, and feasts upon the choicest species from thehost of insects within e

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