Acorn Thieves | America’s National Parks

this pine is the Central Bank and Trust
of the Acorn woodpecker and every inch
is studded with neatly arranged holes
the woodpeckers safe-deposit boxes
finding the absolutely perfect little
vault for every acorn can be quite the
puzzle each hole has been drilled to fit
a certain nut shape
keeping the treasure house secure
requires a bonding of the birds a
breeding collective of several males and
females along with their extended family
who make deposits and stand guard
they can be little gymnasts when threats
come from above
simply skittering to the underside of
the bank branches this is just a false
alarm though a raven the jokester of the
canyon there are far more serious
threats from below
squirrels know exactly how the
woodpecker banks work and are always
casing the joint and who could blame him
just look at all those acorns
this squirrel believes in sharing the
wealth but he’d better eat fast and
stuff those cheeks the woodpecker bank
tellers hit the alarm and the security
guards swing into action
the bank is secured again but it won’t
be long before the habitual thief tries
another stick-up