My son Daniel put up a platform seed feeder at our place a few months ago.
ACORN WOODPECKERS, with their main granary about 60 ft away, are regulars.
CALIFORNIA SCRUB-JAYS were slow to use the feeder, but do so regularly now,
both in and below the feeder. The JAYS are tolerated by the WOODPECKERS
(king of the feeder), in fact this morning there was one ACORN WOODPECKER
and one SCRUB-JAY feeding on the ground inches from each other. Until this
morning, we had not had STELLER'S JAYS at the feeder.
Glancing out the window this morning I saw a STELLER'S JAY approach and
maybe land or almost land on the feeder. However, immediately, one of the
ACORN WOODPECKERS went after the STELLER'S JAY and drove it to the ground
as the JAY attempted to flee. Immediately the STELLER'S JAY took off from
the ground upward into a nearby tree where we saw there was a second
STELLER'S JAY. They both sat there for a few minutes before moving on and
we haven't seen them in the hour since.
Up to this point we had not seen the ACORN WOODPECKER aggressively go after
any other birds. They typically just fly up to the feeder and the other
birds get out of the way. Why go after the STELLER'S JAY so aggressively
(vs getting along with CA SCRUB-JAYS)? Maybe because it is/was a "new"
threat? Or are STELLER'S particularly a threat to ACORN WOODPECKERS in some
way? Any ideas? Anyone with ACORN WOODPECKERS have a similar or different
experience?
Curious,
Matt
