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| Female Woodpecker, Left Side |
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This pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers was attacked by Starlings. They built one nest in a coconut palm tree, and were ousted by Starlings. They then built a second in the same tree, and the starlings attacked them, even trying to kill them inside the nest hole.
The woodpeckers have survived. A friend asked me to take some photos showing the damage. These photos were taken more than a week after the attacks and you can see that they are still recovering from the damage they received at end of the starling's beaks. My friend is taking steps to discourage future visits by the starlings.
Homeowner's Account
In early March, soon after the last frond fell from my lightning struck coconut palm, the red-bellied woodpeckers found it. It's about 60 feet tall and their first cavity is about four feet down from the top. As soon as they started excavating the chamber the starlings arrived. A pair of them sat on the top of the snag calling out, laying claim to the cavity yet to be. The woodpeckers occupied their chamber for about 5 days while the starling lay passive, biding their time.
Then I observed the male poking his head in and out of the cavity but would not go in. When he moved a starling flew out, and then the female woodpecker. She had been the victim of close combat within the chamber, which the starling is well known for. With their long legs they stand over the woodpeckers, pin them to the floor of the chamber and drive their sharp bill into them while twisting it. This time though the female did not look injured. A while later the male flew to the chamber and looked in, there were two grey feathers on the outer edge. He looked at them and then took one in his bill. He held it for a bit and then rubbed it off on the tree. The woodpeckers then abandoned the chamber and the starlings moved in. They occupied it for only a couple days and then they also left. The tree was empty for a week.
Then the woodpeckers returned and made a second cavity, which they began to occupy, about 2 feet above the first one, both face south. Soon the starlings were back. Within a couple of days I observed the male poking his head in and out again. I knew what this meant and pounded on the tree. The male moved and out flew two starlings. A bit after that the female woodpecker struggled to exit the chamber. She truly crawled out with a wing outstretched and clung to the tree with her bill agape. She was exhausted and injured. Then she dropped and flew off. Later she was feeding on the white bird of paradise flowers and the woodpeckers reoccupied their second chamber. This chamber they wanted and would fight for. They seemed very willing for the starlings to have the first cavity, but the starlings wanted both.
A few days passed and I saw a starling fly out of the upper chamber. The woodpeckers looked disturbed and their routine changed. I think this was the third time that the starlings had destroyed their eggs. But they settled back in with the woodpeckers above and the starlings in the first, lower cavity.
The woodpeckers and I have refined a great system to weaken the starlings position. Clapping scares them out of the chamber and even opening my screen door makes them fly. Now I just tap the tree gently and they shoot out. The woodpeckers are so used to it they don't even bother looking out. If I stand near the tree the starlings will not enter. They circle around but will not land.
The damage the starlings have inflicted on the woodpeckers is astonishing. The male's head was half bald and covered with blood. Still they are a very tenacious and bonded couple. Woodpeckers lose at least half of their chambers to European Starlings and it is impacting their numbers tremendously. I have installed a Tipping Can Repeating Starling Trap and also have bought an air gun. I am astonished at their vicious and brutal temperament and will seek to kill any starling on my property.
Photos of Female Woodpecker
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| Right side and back | Left Side |
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Photos of Male Woodpecker
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| Left Side | Back of the Head |
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| Right Side | |