Woodpeckers are perhaps one of our noisiest wildlife admissions.

When new admissions are brought to me for treatment and housing it is always exciting to find out what new arrival awaits me in the box. Some very loud and insistent chirping came from a box last week; the box contained four orphaned Great spotted woodpeckers, which had been transferred across from RSPCA Bradford by our regional driver. Announcing their arrival and demanding food they certainly made their presence known.

As Woodpeckers usually nest in a hole in a tree I quickly set up a home for them to replicate this. The four orphans quickly settled into their nest; a bowl lined with a soft material placed in a tub which is covered over except  when we are feeding

As we approach their hourly feeds the chirping noise from their new nest begins to rise, at least until their tummies are full again, at which point they fall back to sleep. 

It will be amazing to see these wonderful birds develop, climbing logs and pecking at the wood.   They are renowned for the knocking noise they make on trees but clearly they also have got very loud ‘I’m hungry’ voices too!!

 By Michelle Bite

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