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

Acorn woodpeckers begin storing acorns for the colder winter months once autumn is right around the corner. All members of the family spend a lot of time collecting and hoarding acorns. They store the collected seeds in little holes drilled in a tree, called a “granary tree”. Any kind of tree will do, as long as it has a thick bark, but woodpeckers that live in suburban areas are more than comfortable drilling holes and storing their acorns in wooden poles as well.

Drilling those holes is a very serious process that requires a lot of precise planning. If the holes are too wide, the acorns can fall out of their place, or in worse cases, other birds may steal the stored goods. Leaving the hole too narrow is risky as well, since the acorn can break or deteriorate. First, the bird gently pushes the acorn into one hole after another, trying to find the perfect fit for the given acorn. Once the acorn is secured, it goes to put another one into place; and so it goes.

The work doesn’t stop there, though. The granary trees require constant tending and the members of the family group need to be on the lookout to defend their stash against potential acorn thieves, such as squirrels or even other woodpeckers. Therefore, one member of the group is always guarding their tree.