Part 14

18. MELANERPES CAROLINUS, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Zebra Bird. Back and wings black, barred with white; under and upper tail coverts, middle and outer tail feathers, white varied with black; head and under parts ashy; belly tinged with reddish. with whole top of head and nape bright red; with forehead and nape red, crown gray. 9-10 inches. Eastern and Southern States between the Hudson River and the Rocky Mountains, north to southern New York, Ohio, southern Michigan, etc.; migratory in its northern ranges.

19. MELANERPES AURIFRONS, Golden-fronted Woodpecker. Back and wings barred with black and white; rump white; entire under parts brownish white, unspotted (except under tail coverts); primaries unspotted, except at tip; tail black with slightly barred outer feathers; belly yellowish; forehead and hind neck orange in both sexes. with crown red set in a larger patch of clear gray; with crown clear gray. 9.5 inches. Central and southern Texas, north to about 33°; breeds wherever found.

20. MELANERPES UROPYGIALIS, Gila Woodpecker. Back and wings barred with black and white; head and lower parts smoky brown; rump black and white; tail barred on inner and outer feathers; primaries unspotted; belly yellow (not conspicuous). with red crown surrounded by brownish; "iris red" (Hayden). 9 inches. Southwestern New Mexico and Arizona to southeastern California, usually above 2000 feet altitude; its distribution depending principally upon the giant cactus.

21. COLAPTES AURATUS, Flicker, Yellow-hammer, High-hole, Clape. Back and wings (except primaries) brownish gray, barred with black; under parts pale vinaceous spotted with black spots from breast downward; rump white; tail and wings golden yellow beneath, dark above, showing the yellow shafts; tail feathers with black tips below; top of head ashy gray, sides of head and throat vinaceous; a broad black crescent across breast, a bright scarlet one on nape. with black jaw patches; without them. 12 inches. South Atlantic and Gulf region, north to North Carolina.

a. C. a. luteus, Northern Flicker. Larger; paler; black bars above narrower; less black and white below. North from North Carolina and west to the Rocky Mountains; casual farther west; migratory from its northern ranges.

22. COLAPTES CAFER, Red-shafted Flicker. Color pattern similar to above with the following differences: wings and tail red beneath instead of yellow; throat ashy gray; usually no red on occiput (though some specimens show a narrow crescent). with red jaw patches. 12.5-14 inches. Rocky Mountain region west to Pacific coast from Mexico to British Columbia, except northwest coast region of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, and occasionally east to Kansas and Nebraska; resident except in the more northern portions of its range.

a. C. c. saturatior, Northwestern Flicker. Darker; smaller; narrower breast crescent. Northwest coast, replacing the above, from which it cannot be separated in life.

23. COLAPTES CHRYSOIDES, Gilded Flicker; Cactus Flicker. Color pattern same as C. auratus, but throat gray; top of head brown; occiput without band; tail band broader and yellow paler than in C. auratus. with jaw patches bright red; "iris blood red" (Hayden). Central and southern Arizona and Lower California.

a. C. c. brunescens, Brown Flicker. A curious subspecies of the last, smaller, with larger, more numerous spots and a smoky brown cast of plumage; black tail band very wide; jaw patches red; wings and tail yellow beneath. Lower (not southern) California; casual only in southern California; in Arizona to 35°.

24. COLAPTES RUFIPILEUS, Guadalupe Island Flicker. Coloration like C. cafer, crown decidedly brown; crescent on nape wanting; jaw patches red; wings and tail red beneath. Guadalupe Island off the coast of Lower California.

INDEX

Aard-vark, 104.

Acorns, eaten by woodpeckers, 46, 51, 57, 58, 59.

Acquired habits, 61-66.

Adaptations of woodpeckers to environment,104-109.

Ant-bear, 104, 106.

Ants, as food for woodpeckers, 3, 30, 63, 105, 106.

Argument from design, 110.

Bear, black, 107.

Beechnuts, as food for woodpeckers, 57, 58, 59.

Beetles, as food for woodpeckers, 3, 11, 63.

Bill of woodpeckers as a tool, 68-76.

Borers, 3, 10, 11, 29, 30, 36.

Burroughs, John, quoted, 17.

Cacti, woodpeckers nesting in, 20.

Cannibalism among woodpeckers, 64.

Carpenter, the. See California woodpecker.

Carpintero, El. See California woodpecker.