Originally posted 3/22/2010 - backdated to organized posts by topic.
This is one of four high-definition videos on YouTube of a male Magellanic Woodpecker foraging in Parque Nacional Los Glaciares near El Calafate in Patagonia, Argentina. The Magellanic Woodpecker has a wide range. It inhabits the Andes in southern Chile and forested areas of southwest Argentina.
Patagonia is a paradise to hikers, photographers and to anyone who cherishes wildlife and wilderness. The bird in this video lives in close proximity to the magnificent Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina. Perhaps you've been there to see and hear humongous chunks of ice falling off the edge of the glacier and plunging into Lago Argentino!
Photo © Bill Benish
If you visit Patagonia, you can arrange to have the amazing experience of taking a walking tour on the Perito Moreno Glacier. I cannot recommend this excursion strongly enough. It is not always easy to arrange, nor is it inexpensive. Never mind. Just find a way to do it! Start here with a Google search and browse the results: big ice perito moreno
Photo © Bill Benish
And so this, among other fantastic places, is where the Magellanic Woodpecker lives in the adjoining southern beech tree forests. It's no wonder that I long to be back there.
3 comments:
Nice video that shows typical foraging behavior of Magellanic Woodpecker: excavating and probing for insect larvae. They forage on both live and dead substrates and incessantly forage throughout the day, spending perhaps 80% or 90% of their time budget on foraging (outside the nesting season). Note that the male in the video is a first year bird with black bars in its white back feathers, and the red of the head not extending down the throat.
Thanks for the great information Martjan. I enjoy watching how much this bird maneuvers its neck while foraging and also when it pauses to preen its tail.
Wow! What a spectacular place. Fantastic video as well...
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