Moose on the Loose

[jjohnwm]

Okay, pics...

The aviary groups locally call them "Pickers" for some reason. Here's a shot with one and a squirrel:

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Lol, are you sure you are hearing them correctly? That "Picker"...is a Flicker! It's a migratory woodpecker, spends a lot of time on the ground eating ants.

 

[RD.]

Your picker, is a Flicker. Lol

 

[RD.]

Beat me to it.

 

[jjohnwm]

And here's one of the woodchucks...no thanks to "Phil" I had to get a buried gate fence for my patio because they kept digging huge holes under it. They're good climbers and can squeeze into tight places. The biggest ones look like small dogs. This one went into someone's yard across the street and ate her flowers.

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And that's not a woodchuck; it's a groundhog.

 

[tlindsey]

quintessential "Woody Woodpecker

I've seen and watched them from my deck the red fluff feathers lol. Unfortunately had the metro park cut a huge dead tree down that the Woodpeckers love to pick at.

 

[RD.]

My neighbour has a metal fireplace stack on his roof, makes a perfect resonating drum sound, that one particular male Flicker uses to attract the lady birds. Usually starts before 6 AM, I’ve been up for a couple of hours by then, my elderly neighbours not so much. I can hear it clearly from inside, can‘t imagine what it sounds like inside their house. lol One morning, the male drummed so well that he had two female Flickers on his drum with him.

 

[FINWIN]

Lol, are you sure you are hearing them correctly? That "Picker"...is a Flicker! It's a migratory woodpecker, spends a lot of time on the ground eating ants.

You know that makes sense because they would hop across the grass and "pick" but I never saw them with worms!

 

[FINWIN]

And that's not a woodchuck; it's a groundhog.

How much wood does a wood chuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood???

 

[RD.]

 

[FINWIN]

And that's not a woodchuck; it's a groundhog.

Did some research! Guess I'm British now...

Groundhogs and woodchucks are actually two names for the same animal. They both belong to the species Marmota monax, which is a type of large ground squirrel. The difference in names likely comes from different etymologies from around the world. Here are some interesting facts about these creatures:

1. Common Names:
   • In American English, most people refer to them as groundhogs.
   • In British English, they are called woodchucks.
   • Other common names include whistle pig (due to their distinctive whistle-like call) and land beaver (describing their habitat and behaviors) 1
2. Appearance:
   • Groundhogs have brownish-gray fur and stockier bodies (about 16-20 inches long).
   • Unlike squirrels, groundhogs have short, dark tails (4-7 inches long) 1.
3. Hibernation:
   • Groundhogs prepare for hibernation by stocking up on food sources during summer and fall.
   • They are herbivores and enjoy eating vegetables, grasses, fruit, and tree bark.
   • Interestingly, they only eat tree bark if they emerge from hibernation before vegetation has sprung 1.
4. Geographical Distribution:
   • Groundhogs are predominantly found in the eastern and central parts of North America.
   • Woodchucks have a broader range, extending throughout the continent