Part 29

A smaller bird than any of the preceding, similar in coloring, as illustrated. It is a more sociable bird and is found about the dwellings in country places, and even in the larger cities about the parks.

TEXAS WOODPECKER. 396. Dryobates scalaris bairdi. 7½ inches.

This species is brownish white below, has the back barred with black and white, on account of which it is often known as the “Ladder-back Woodpecker.” The male has the whole crown red, shading into mixed black and whitish on the forehead. Its habits and eggs are the same as the previous species.

NUTTALL WOODPECKER. 397. Dryobates nuttalli. 7 inches.

Where the two former have red crowns, this one has a crown of black and a small red patch on the back of nape. Outer tail feathers nearly all white, while in the former they are barred with black and white. They are pugnacious little birds and will drive many of the larger Woodpeckers from their locality.

Nest.—In holes of trees, either in dead stumps or growing trees at no great elevation from the ground. Four pure white eggs are laid at the bottom of the cavity, on the decayed wood (.85 × .65). Their food is gathered from under the bark, consisting of larvæ, ants and small insects.

ARIZONA WOODPECKER. 398. Dryobates arizonæ. 8 inches.

This is an entirely different looking bird from any of the others of the Woodpecker family, being uniform brownish above and a grayish white below, with black spots. The male having a crescent shaped patch of red on the back of the head, outlined mostly with white. It is locally common at the higher altitudes in the mountains of Arizona.

Nest.—Is practically the same in habits as others mentioned, nesting in holes of trees, and laying four white eggs (.85 × .60).

WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER. 399. Xenopicus albolarvatus. 9 inches.

This odd species is wholly a dull black color, except for the white head and neck, and basal half of the primaries. It also has on the male a small red spot on the back of the neck. They are said to be more silent than other members of the Woodpecker family, and rarely make the familiar tapping and never the drumming sound. They secure their food by scaling the bark from the trees, prying it off, instead of drilling a hole. They nest at any height, but the greater number seem to prefer near the ground (20 feet), and in old dead pine stubs. They lay from four to six glossy white eggs (.95 × .70).

ARCTIC THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 400. Picoides arcticus. 9½ inches.

As implied by the name, members of this genus have but three toes, two in front and one behind. The plumage of this species is entirely black above, and whitish below, with the flanks barred with blackish. The male has a yellow patch on the crown. They breed abundantly in coniferous forests in mountain regions throughout their range, laying their four or five pure white eggs in decayed tree stumps (.95 × .70). They do more boring for their insect food, and, during mating season, are very persistent in their roll call on dead limbs of trees.

AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 401. Picoides americanus. 9 inches.

The greatest difference between this bird and the last is on the back, it having several narrow bars of white near the neck or a patch of white in place of the bars. Breeding habits are the same.

ALASKA THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 401a. Picoides americanus fasciatus. 9 inches.

In every particular similar to the last, with the patch of white on the back possibly a little larger. Habits just the same (not illustrated).

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER. 402. Sphyrapicus varius. 8½ inches.

This is one of the most handsomely marked of the family; they may be identified easily by the red crown and throat (female having white on the throat), each bordered by black, forming a wide breast band, with a band of white, black and white back of it. The under parts yellow. This species and the two following are the only real sapsuckers, a crime that is often attributed to the most useful of the family. While they without doubt will take some of the sap from trees, their food consists more of insect life, ants in particular.

Nest.—Is placed in a cavity of decayed trees. Four to seven glossy white eggs (.85 × .60).

RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER. 403. Sphyrapicus ruber. 8½ inches.

A Pacific coast bird from Lower California to Oregon. The entire head, neck and breast of this species is red, of varying shades in different individuals, from carmine to nearly a scarlet. The remainder of their plumage is similar to the above. Nesting habits the same.

WILLIAMSON SAPSUCKER. 404. Sphyrapicus thyroideus. 9 inches.

A great variation in the plumage of this oddly marked bird is found. The male is mostly black on the back and breast, with a white rump, and with only a narrow patch of red on the throat; the under parts are bright yellow. The female is entirely different, being brownish in place of the black on the male, has no red on the throat, and on the back is barred with black and white.

Their nesting habits are the same as those of the family previously mentioned. Four to seven white eggs (.97 × .67).

NORTHERN PILEATED WOODPECKER. 405a. Phlœotomus pileatus albieticola. 17 inches.

This is one of the largest and strongest of the Woodpeckers; they are a sooty black on the upper parts and breast; the crest is long and bright red, and the male has a red line back of the eye; sides of the neck pure white, and patch of white on the wings. Female is more of a grayish black color than the male. As the large trees are being cut away in many localities where these birds were to be found, they are gradually driven farther north or into the mountain regions, where they can find the heavy timber in which they make their homes.

RED-HEADED WOODPECKER. 406. Melanerpes erythrocephalus. 9½ inches.