Elizabeth Aquirre, PS # 5
Hudson County
Red-headed Woodpecker. Hudson County. Elizabeth Aguirre
Red-headed Woodpecker
Hi, I am the red-headed woodpecker. I am a New Jersey threatened animal. Let me introduce myself. I am Kimberly. First of all I would like to tell you about me. Most woodpeckers drill through trees to get their food, but I usually don't! I am most likely to fly down to the ground and capture insects, or sometimes I catch my prey from the air. I am known to wedge live grasshoppers and beetles into cracks in the wood. I do this to store food for the future. In the winter I store acorns in the trees' cavities. I am famous for stealing eggs from other nests that belong to smaller, cavity-nesting birds. Don't mess with me because I am one of the most aggressive birds in the family. If I do say so myself I am very unique.
As I said before I am threatened so I could, easily become endangered. I need protection! I think it would be sad to see my family and I disappear. Some of my relative's heads have been shaved off. Luckily, this hasn't happened to me...yet! The reason this happened to some of my relatives, and I really don't like, was so that the feathers could be used to decorate woman's hats! I have been threatened since 1979 and I think it has to stop! I think we deserve some respect.
I would like to tell you a few ways that you can save me. Instead of breaking logs you can leave them where they are to provide homes for us. Farmers, stop killing us. I lost my mom because she was shot touching your crops and I am sorry for that. Lastly, when grownups are driving on roads they should watch out for us. I hope you will take my advice and protect my family and me.
Elizabeth Aguirre
P.S # 5
West New York, NJ
Mrs. Moore