{"id":4705,"date":"2015-01-21T10:40:56","date_gmt":"2015-01-21T15:40:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=4705"},"modified":"2015-01-21T10:49:19","modified_gmt":"2015-01-21T15:49:19","slug":"knock-knock-whos-there-a-rare-woodpecker-thats-who","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/knock-knock-whos-there-a-rare-woodpecker-thats-who\/","title":{"rendered":"Knock Knock. Who’s There? A Rare Woodpecker, That’s Who"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>

Shawn Carey recently photographed and took a video of the visiting black-backed woodpecker. See Shawn Carey’s video of the bird<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

There’s a rare woodpecker that has been hanging around Forest Hills Cemetery<\/a> in Jamaica Plain creating quite a buzz (or, shall we say, knock). The black-backed woodpecker, is a medium-sized (9.5\u201d) woodpecker with an all black back, dark-barred sides on a whitish breast, and a bright yellow crown patch (males only) that is normally found in boreal spruce and fir forests from Newfoundland to Alaska.<\/span><\/p>\n

While rare, it isn’t the first time this type of woodpecker has been spotted in Massachusetts. In fact, one reported sighting many years ago in 1956 was discovered by our very own Wayne Petersen, Mass Audubon’s Director of the Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program, back when he was only 12\u00a0years old.<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked about the recent sighting, Petersen\u00a0recalled this discovery, which he shared in the Fall\/Winter 2013\u00a0issue of Sanctuary<\/em> magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

“My personal affinity for woodpeckers enjoys a venerable genesis involving an elm tree. By the time I reached the seventh grade, I was already a dedicated birdwatcher, so during those seemingly interminable middle school days practically every spare moment was spent outdoors on the lookout for new birds to add to my list.<\/p>\n

One October day a birding buddy and I noticed an unfamiliar woodpecker working on a grand old and dying American elm situated along a roadside in our local birding patch. Carefully noting the woodpecker\u2019s markings, we were struck by the brilliant patch of yellow on its crown\u2014a marking unique to only two North American woodpeckers.<\/p>\n

After brief consultation, my companion and I announced in unison that the woodpecker was a three-toed woodpecker, more specifically: \u201cThe species on the left page!\u201d This joint proclamation specifically referred to the Louis Agassiz Fuertes color plate illustrating the Arctic three-toed woodpecker (today called the black-backed woodpecker) on plate 60 in T. Gilbert Pearson\u2019s Birds of America<\/em> (1917). On the facing page was a depiction of the closely related American three-toed woodpecker\u2014the species with which our discovery could most easily have been confused.<\/p>\n

Little did I realize at the time that the woodpecker and that old dying elm tree would ultimately give me my \u201c15 minutes of fame.\u201d A call to the Massachusetts Audubon Society eventually led to my name appearing in a Boston newspaper where Wayne Hanley, Mass Audubon\u2019s editor of publications at the time, printed the news of my discovery in an article titled, \u201cNature Sends Rare Northern Bird Here.\u201d In seventh grade this is as good as it gets!”<\/p>\n

\n

Do you have a great bird sighting story to share?<\/h3>\n

We’d love to read them in the comments!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There’s a rare woodpecker that has been hanging around Forest Hills Cemetery in Jamaica Plain creating quite a buzz (or, shall we say, knock). The black-backed woodpecker, is a medium-sized (9.5\u201d) woodpecker with an all black back, dark-barred sides on a whitish breast, and a bright yellow crown patch (males only) that is normally found […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nature-notes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-1dT","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10687,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-pileated-woodpeckers\/","url_meta":{"origin":4705,"position":0},"title":"Take 5: Pileated Woodpeckers","author":"Ryan D.","date":"March 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"It's always a treat to spot the iconic pileated woodpecker (unless, of course, you catch one drilling into the side of your house). With their striking black and white plumage and flaming red crests, they are almost prehistoric-looking, like a crow-sided modern pterodactyl. Woodpeckers have several unique adaptations. Their feet\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pileated Woodpecker \u00a9 Kimberlee Bertolino","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/03\/864Kimberlee_Bertolino11865_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/03\/864Kimberlee_Bertolino11865_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/03\/864Kimberlee_Bertolino11865_fi.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13584,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-downy-woodpeckers\/","url_meta":{"origin":4705,"position":1},"title":"Take 5: Downy Woodpeckers","author":"Ryan D.","date":"February 17, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Of the seven woodpeckers found in Massachusetts, the Downy Woodpecker has the distinction of being both the smallest and most common\u2014they can be found almost anywhere there are trees. With insects making up the bulk of their diet, downies will pick and peck at tree bark in search of tasty\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Downy Woodpecker \u00a9 Bruce Gilman","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/02\/1604Bruce_Gilman14267.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/02\/1604Bruce_Gilman14267.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/02\/1604Bruce_Gilman14267.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/02\/1604Bruce_Gilman14267.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8150,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-woodpecker-wake-up-call\/","url_meta":{"origin":4705,"position":2},"title":"Take 5: Woodpecker Wake-up Call","author":"Ryan D.","date":"August 29, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"With summer winding down and fall approaching, you may start to hear the sound of a friendly neighbor or two, knocking on your door (or drainpipe, or siding, or trees). Woodpeckers! Each\u00a0fall, woodpeckers excavate roosting holes in preparation for the coming winter, utilizing a behavior called \"drilling.\"\u00a0When woodpeckers\u00a0drill, they actually\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pileated Woodpecker \u00a9 Daniel Tracey, Photo Contest 2014","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/08\/3084Daniel_Tracey11295.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":16722,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/spotlight-on-pileated-woodpeckers\/","url_meta":{"origin":4705,"position":3},"title":"Spotlight on Pileated Woodpeckers","author":"Kaylin D.","date":"March 11, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Did you know there are seven different types of woodpeckers that breed in Massachusetts? 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This black and orange butterfly looks\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2013\/08\/woodpeckers.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10370,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-winter-feeder-frenzy\/","url_meta":{"origin":4705,"position":5},"title":"Take 5: Winter Feeder Frenzy","author":"Ryan D.","date":"January 15, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Backyard bird feeders can be a great source of joy and entertainment, especially in the grey winter months when the pop of red from a cardinal's plumage can bring some welcome color to the scenery and the chatty antics of a small flock of finches fighting over feeder perches can\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red-bellied woodpecker \u00a9 John Jack Mohr","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/01\/2581JohnJack_Mohr9250_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/01\/2581JohnJack_Mohr9250_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/01\/2581JohnJack_Mohr9250_fi.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4705","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4705"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4705\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4721,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4705\/revisions\/4721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4705"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4705"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4705"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}