Re: [cobirds] Northern Flicker and Paper Wasp Nest

Hi Steve & COBirds,

 

I believe those "paper wasp" nests are often the nests of Bald-faced Hornets, which are a particularly aggressive & unfriendly type of hornet; the 2 times I found active nests on my property in Colorado, both were filled with Bald-faced Hornets.  However, I believe there are more than a dozen different species of hornets and yellowjackets that build paper nests across North America, so it may be hard to determine which one it was.  In my current east Tennessee yard, I've had one of those nests that was occupied by Bald-faced Hornets, and one that had one of the yellowjacket species in it.

 

While living in Colorado, I observed birds feeding on something (presumably larvae?) in a paper wasp nest on 2 different occasions; both times were in "winter", so the adult builders of the nest were likely dead and gone.  The first was a Downy Woodpecker, and the second was a pair of Western Bluebirds.  While living here in east Tennessee, I've observed the same behavior once, and the perpetrators tearing into the nest were a pair of Tufted Titmice.  This is definitely interesting and fun behavior to witness!

 

Good Birding,

 

Kirk Huffstater

Morristown, TN

 

 

From: Steve Stachowiak

Sent: Monday, January 04, 2016 10:31 PM

To: Colorado Birds

Subject: [cobirds] Northern Flicker and Paper Wasp Nest

 

Cobirders,

 

I was visiting with a neighbor and she asked me if I had noticed the large "paper wasp" nest located near the top of a nearby Silver Maple.  I responded that I had noticed the nest which I surmised explained the relentless intrusion of yellow jackets during dinners on the back patio this past summer.  She then asked why I thought that bird was crawling on the nest.  Much to my surprise, I looked up and saw a Northern Flicker meticulously mining the nest with its beak.  I have never observed this foraging behavior by any species on a paper nest.  Hopefully, Dave Leatherman, the sage of entomology, will comment regarding which member of the Vespidae family the nest likely belongs to and provide something more accurate than "paper wasp" that is used in the neighborhood vernacular.

 

Good Birding,

Steve Stachowiak

Highlands Ranch, CO

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