Illinois Woodpeckers

2. Woodpecker feet have two toes pointing forward and two backward, unlike songbirds which have three toes forward and one backward. This feature helps them hop on and cling to tree bark and galls and other places while searching for food or excavating nest holes. What is this toe pattern called?

8. A scientist once recorded more than 5,000 ants in the stomach of one of this species of woodpecker. This woodpecker is fun to watch as it hops on the ground to grab ants or flies from tree trunks and branches to catch insects in the air.

9. This woodpecker is a common Illinois migrant, but some have always over-wintered in the state, especially in far southern areas and recently have begun wintering farther north. They often make a high-pitched nasal sound, and during breeding season they have a territorial squealing call that resembles a high-pitched meow.