JUN 19, 2019

Watch How These Woodpeckers Defend Their Food From Thieves

WRITTEN BY: Anthony Bouchard

The wilderness has no shortage of food-stealing bandits, and that’s why the acorn woodpecker is so vigilant when it comes to defending its stash.

These medium-sized woodpeckers are particularly renowned for pounding holes into every square inch of a host tree and then stuffing those holes with acorns for safe keeping. Small teams of the birds then work together to defend their valuable stash from threats, such as other birds and squirrels.

After a threat is detected, the birds sound the alarm and then work as a team to scare it away. This unsuspecting squirrel thinks that he's found himself a conveniently-placed snack, but he’ll be in for endless harassment unless he leaves the tree that the birds are using to keep their food safe.