H16.1135

From the History Information Station:"Object: Woodpecker trap collected among the Pomo, which dates to the late 19th or early 20th century. It was acquired by the Oakland Public Museum in 1910. The trap is made of unpeeled creek dogwood shoots using plain twining.History: Traps similar to this one are used to catch the acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus). The scalp feathers are prized for their beauty and used to decorate baskets and ceremonial regalia. The birds are also a source of food.A hunter wishing to catch woodpeckers waits until evening. He locates a tree containing woodpecker nests and places the trap over the holes. In the morning, when the woodpeckers come out of the nest, they become wedged in the basket. The hunter might also hit the tree with a club, forcing the woodpecker to fly out of the nest into the trap."