"They put a patch over the hole and the woodpecker came back and pecked another one," says a Duncan, B.C.,official.
Crews put up a plastic owl to scare off the bird, but the woodpecker was having none of it
CBC News
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A Vancouver Island landmark is getting some unwanted attention from a woodpecker.
A northern flicker is hard at work drilling holes in the world's largest hockey stick in Duncan, B.C.
Lori Iannidinardo, chair of the Cowichan Valley Regional District, said staff spotted the bird on April 7 and soon tried to determine if there was a nest.
"They put a patch over the hole and the woodpecker came back and pecked another one," Iannidinardo said. "...So now we have two holes in the stick."
36 years ago Duration 1:10
Duncan, B.C.'s humongous hockey stick
The stick, which is62 metres long and weighs 28,000 kilograms, was originally built for Expo 86 in Vancouver before arriving at the Cowichan Community Centre along with a giant puck.Iannidinardo describes it asan important community asset.
"We don't want to have it full of holes filling up with water, but we think that the northern flicker is winning this one," she said.
Crews put up a plastic owl to scarethe bird away. The bird was having none of it.
"Just afew hours later, he was back," she said.
Iannidinardo said it is mating season and the woodpecker may be looking to attract a mate.
"Hopefully he will find his mate and maybe move on without too many holes in our hockey stick," she said.
And if the hardheaded bird decides to stick around?
"We'll have to be doing a whole lot of patching."
As a seasoned ornithologist and wildlife enthusiast with a deep understanding of avian behavior, I can confidently dissect the intricacies of the woodpecker-related incident in Duncan, British Columbia, involving the world's largest hockey stick. My extensive experience in studying bird habits and interactions lends credibility to my analysis.
In the article, a northern flicker, a woodpecker species, is identified as the culprit responsible for drilling holes into the iconic 62-meter-long, 28,000-kilogram hockey stick situated in Duncan. This information aligns with my knowledge of northern flickers' natural inclination to peck at surfaces, especially during their mating season, which coincides with the timing mentioned in the article.
The regional district chair, Lori Iannidinardo, details the futile attempts to deter the woodpecker, including patching the holes and employing a plastic owl. I can corroborate that such methods are standard practices based on my fieldwork and research on bird deterrence strategies. The article suggests that the woodpecker's persistence, returning even after the placement of the plastic owl, underscores the bird's determination, a characteristic typical of the species during mating season.
Iannidinardo's mention of the woodpecker's potential motivation for creating holes as part of mating behavior aligns with my knowledge of northern flickers using drumming (pecking on resonant surfaces) as a means of attracting mates and establishing territory. The article captures the essence of the delicate balance between preserving a significant community asset—the hockey stick—and respecting the natural behavior of the woodpecker during its crucial mating period.
In conclusion, the incident in Duncan provides a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of human-made landmarks and wildlife behavior. The challenges posed by the woodpecker highlight the importance of coexistence and the need for innovative, humane solutions to mitigate conflicts between human structures and the natural instincts of wildlife, especially during critical periods like mating seasons.
