Is Something Eating My Live Oak Tree?

Bird · Apr 10, 2006

It seems the evidence is overwhelming that we have a sapsucker and a stressed tree. I just can't imagine how and when the sucker is doing that and doing so much without ever being seen at all. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

froggy · Apr 10, 2006

Last year I had the squirrels eat the bark off a Japanese red maple. Stopped them in time and now the tree is coming back and the bark has almost completely healed.

CarlGlas · Apr 11, 2006

( It seems the evidence is overwhelming that we have a sapsucker and a stressed tree. I just can't imagine how and when the sucker is doing that and doing so much without ever being seen at all. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif )

Oak Trees are really tough and can withinstand a lot of maltreatment over their lifetime which can be hundred's of years. (See The Treaty Oak of Austin)

This fact apparently has made some folks angry at them because so many of them try to run over them with their vehicles. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

dubba · Apr 12, 2006

( See The Treaty Oak of Austin
)

No picture /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

How can you see a tree with no picture? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bird · Mar 1, 2011

Well, this is going back to an almost 5 year old thread, but the concensus of opinion was I've had a sapsucker working on that live oak. Well recently, almost anytime I go outside, I see a woodpecker on that tree, but my eyesight hasn't been good enough to identify it. However, this afternoon, I've been sitting out on the patio with my binoculars.

Chipsndust in post #7 and Hakim in posts #9 and #11 hit the nail on the head.:thumbsup: Those are Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers and there's been more than one working on that tree today.

jcliburn · Mar 2, 2011

The good news is the sapsuckers will soon be leaving you for northern breeding grounds.

The bad news is they'll be back this fall.

crash325 · Mar 2, 2011

jcliburn said:
The good news is the sapsuckers will soon be leaving you for northern breeding grounds.

The bad news is they'll be back this fall.

Those "suckers" never leave and I would be happy if they ate a tree. They like the house much better. Cover a hole and they just move over.

A few have left here for the big Tree in the Sky, they will not be back next year.:laughing::thumbsup:

jcliburn · Mar 2, 2011

Crash, your birds are Northern flickers, not Yellow-bellied sapsuckers. Bird's birds are migratory; yours are permanent residents.

jcliburn · Mar 2, 2011

jcliburn said:
Crash, your birds are Northern flickers, not Yellow-bellied sapsuckers. Bird's birds are migratory; yours are permanent residents.

Correction: Those may be Gila woodpeckers. Are you in Arizona?

Following morning edit: Never mind, I see now you ARE in Arizona (Ipad TBN app doesn't show location), so those are almost certainly Gila woodpeckers.

Bird · Mar 3, 2011

crash325 said:
Those "suckers" never leave and I would be happy if they ate a tree. They like the house much better. Cover a hole and they just move over.

A few have left here for the big Tree in the Sky, they will not be back next year.:laughing::thumbsup:

Yep, yours are definitely a different kind of bird from what I've got.