Page:Field key to the land birds .. (IA fieldkeytolandbi00knob).pdf/46

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FIELD KEY TO THE LAND BIRDS.

WOOD

PBCKE.RS.—

Pk{dae.

— Sti'ong and straight.

— Not feathered. — Four, two in front

and

tAvo

behind, or three, two in front and one l^ehind. Nails strongly curved for climbing. Food. Insects, particularly woodboring insects in the trunks of trees. For the purpose of catching these insects Woodpeckers are provided Avith a long, string-like tongue

—

^r^'^

which has a l)arl)ed hook at the point. They insert tongue into the holes bored by the insects, and pull out their prey.

When the tongue is not long enough they hannner and chisel holes with their strong bills, and thus reach the insect. They build