Acorn Woodpeckers Can Store As Much As 50.000 Acorns in a Single Tree

Once a team of acorn woodpeckers has had their way with a tree, the tree is left nearly unrecognizable, and covered in small, individually bored holes. It becomes what is called a “granary tree.” These birds make trees into huge acorn stores. Unlike other woodpeckers, which peck insects out of trees, the acorn woodpecker has a completely different way of getting by.

The acorn woodpecker is one of the 239 species of woodpeckers that make up the family Picidae. It can be found from the coastal areas of Oregon and California, all the way to Mexico and Colombia. These birds prefer western oak and pine-oak woodlands on higher elevations, but they are also relatively common in urban and suburban areas. It's likely that if you see one, you'll find others soon, since they are organized in families of up to 12 individuals. The family units live within a particular territory, and they nest communally. Their nests are usually built in large cavities in dead trees. Therefore, the activities of acorn woodpeckers happen around their tree and within the territory the family holds.