Gold-Crested Woodpecker

Join me for an unprecedented look at... the life of birds.

Across our blue planet, a wide variety of creatures develop innovative strategies to gather food while staying safe.

At some times, it's good to be noticed; at others, you'd like to avoid attention.

This is the challenge faced by the Gold-Crested Woodpecker.

Their future is uncertain, as these magnificent birds are confined entirely to the Blossom Vale region of Griffin Rock.

But the woodpeckers have more immediate things to worry about today. Like trying to find nutritious grubs in a decaying branch. It requires a tight grip... and patience.

Ah! Got one!

But sometimes you have to make more of a spectacle. If this male wishes to attract a mate, he'll have to find just the right way to show off his dazzling bright feathers, without losing his grip and falling.

It takes practice.

She's not impressed. Better luck next time.

Fiction

Rescue Bots

The Gold-Crested Woodpecker had been thought to be extinct for 40 years, until it was inadvertently rediscovered by Boulder in Blossom Vale. Doc Greene was delighted by the good news, but emphasized that the birds' whereabouts must be kept secret to protect them from crowds who would disturb their remaining habitat. Boulder, Blades, Chase, Cody, and Frankie all agreed to guard the birds' home. Their early attempts at this were hindered by well-meaning clumsiness and equipment failures, but they still got the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see young Gold-Crested Woodpeckers get ready to start to fly. Unfortunately, the mayor overheard Kade talking about the rediscovered birds, leading to a televised interview where the young man divulged the location of the nest. Soon a huge crowd of campers and birdwatchers descended on Blossom Vale, and one in particular started a fire that destroyed the woodpecker nesting site. Fortunately, the birds themselves survived and could be tracked by radio tags that Doc Greene had attached. The mayor agreed to establish a new bird sanctuary elsewhere in Blossom Vale, and the woodpeckers soon returned. Endangered Species