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Surprising Similarities: What’s Going on in YOUR Backyard?
By Kim Kurki, author of World of Birds: A Beginner’s Guide
That’s when I remembered my research on the Gila woodpecker in Western North America for my book World of Birds. The Gila sips nectar from desert flowers and is attracted to hummingbird feeders in that part of the country. In fact, it is a common sight out there. With their long pointy bills and extra lengthy tongues, both of these birds can probe into a flower or feeder to lap up a sweet treat with ease.
Another connection between hummingbirds and woodpeckers I recalled was about the Anna’s hummingbird, also found in the west. It will sip seeping sap (say that 3 times fast!) from holes drilled in a tree by a sapsucker, a kind of woodpecker. So both birds, although not having a “sweet tooth,” have a “sweet tongue”!
Has anyone else seen unusual combinations of birds at their feeders? I’d love to hear your weird bird stories.
About the Author
Kim Kurki has been fascinated by nature since childhood. Working as an artist for more than 30 years, she has focused on the natural world, including illustrations for The Old Farmer’s Almanac and National Wildlife Federation’s Your Big Backyard magazine. She lives in Penns Park, Pennsylvania where she is lulled to sleep at night by hooting owls.