A loud “churrr” can be heard as the Gila woodpecker approaches our veranda and declares the hummingbird feeder is his territory. It had somewhat learn to hang and lick the sugary water from the feeder. With its size, it just knows how to scare off the small hummingbird.
Gila Woodpeckers are dwellers of the Sonoran Desert. They nest in a saguaro cactus. It creates a hole with its very strong head, neck, and a long pointy beak. When it vacated the hole other birds like the owls use it to nest. Their main diet is insects but it also eats seasonal fruits.
It was actually hard taking good photos of this zebra back feathered friend. If it notices small movements it flies away with haste. It took a couple of shot before finally having this one.
Dude, take the photo quickly will you? Posing, drinking and hanging like this is tough you know!
