Part 30

In flight, this is one of the most conspicuous of the woodpeckers. It has a bright red head, neck and breast, glossy blue-black on the back and tail, white rump, under parts and secondaries. It is more abundant in the east and middle United States, but occurs fairly common in Arizona and Texas to Colorado. It nests in any kind of trees, telegraph poles or will even drill a hole under the eaves of the barn or house in some localities. They are the most pugnacious of the woodpeckers, and often are seen chasing one another or driving away some other bird. They feed also upon ants, larvæ of insects, and small fruits and berries.

They lay from four to eight pure white eggs (1.00 × .75).

CALIFORNIA WOODPECKER. 407a. Melanerpes formicivorus bairdi. 9½ inches.

A common and attractive woodpecker throughout California and Oregon. With its red cap and white forehead, and back or upper parts black tinged with green, a solid black band across the breast, white under parts and rump, and, above all, their continual talking among themselves. Nest, eggs, food, same as above, with the addition to its diet of acorns in great numbers.

LEWIS WOODPECKER. 408. Asyndesmus lewisi. 10½ inches.

An oddly colored species, with a crimson red face, under parts streaked with crimson and white, a gray breast, and upper parts a glossy greenish black. They are more common in the mountain ranges among the tall pines from the eastern Rockies to the Pacific coast range, breeding high up in the trees. Their food consisting of insect life mostly, and acorns, which they gather and store away for future use. Four to eight eggs are pure white (1.05 × .80).

RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS. 409. Centurus carolinus. 9½ inches.

Found on the eastern slope of the Rockies and south to central Texas. It is an attractive bird, frequently called the “Zebra Woodpecker,” on account of the black and white markings on the back, wings and tail. Nests in live trees; three to five white eggs (1.00 × .75). Not illustrated.

GILA WOODPECKER. 411. Centurus uropygialis. 9½ inches.

This is also one of the “Zebra Woodpeckers” to be found in Arizona and the Mexican borders of the United States. Its preference for nesting site is the Giant Cactus. Eggs same as above.

RED-SHAFTED WOODPECKER. 413. Colaptes cafer collaris. 13 inches.

These birds are not inclined to search for their food among the trees as are most of the woodpeckers, but may often be found on the ground on the edges of the woods or in open fields, where they secure ants as their principal article of food. The top of the head is brownish instead of gray, and the under parts of the wings, tail and the quills are reddish orange and not yellow as on the eastern varieties. The male has a bright red streak from the bill extending back and below the eye, the female does not have this. The throat is a gray, with a black crescent on the breast, under parts light gray with numerous black spots, rump is white and tail is mostly black above.

Nest.—Is placed in holes of trees in the woods, or in any locality where they make or find a suitable hole.

Four to eight white eggs (1.10 × .90).

GILDED FLICKER. 414. Colaptes chrysoides. 13 inches.

Very similar to above, with the under side of wings and tail yellow. Found only in southern California and Arizona southward.

STEPHENS WHIP-POOR-WILL—Family Caprimulgidæ. 417a. Antrostomus vociferus macromystax. 10 inches.

One of the birds that are heard much more often than seen, and in their habits they are very secluded, keeping in the dark woods the greater part of the time, rarely leaving its place of concealment before dark. In pursuit of insects, they are swift and noiseless, their soft plumage giving forth no sound, as their wings cleave the air.

Nest.—Is on the ground among the leaves, usually in dense woods. Their two eggs of a grayish or creamy white are very faintly marbled or marked with pale brown and gray. These birds are only found in southern Arizona, Texas and New Mexico.

POOR-WILL. 418. Phalænoptilus nuttalli. 8 inches.

The smallest of the family. A handsome species, with plumage mottled black, white and gray, beautifully blended together. To be found west of the Mississippi from British Columbia to southern California. Eggs are a pure white (1.00 × .75).

WESTERN NIGHTHAWK. 420a. Chordeiles virginianus henryi. 10 inches.

The nighthawk may be distinguished from the Whip-poor-wills by its forked tail in place of the rounded tail of the “Poor-wills.” It also has a white band near the end of the tail, and across the primaries, the latter making a very conspicuous mark when in flight.

Nest.—They lay their eggs upon the ground or on a ledge with no attempt at nest building. The two eggs are a grayish white color, marbled, blotched and spotted with darker shades of gray and brown (1.20 × .95). Found from the plains to the Pacific and from British Columbia to Mexico.

SENNETT NIGHTHAWK. 420c. Chordeiles virginianus sennetti. 10 inches.

A paler and more of a grayish color than preceding. Habits the same.

TEXAS NIGHTHAWK. 421. Chordeiles acutipennis texensis. 10 inches.

The markings of this species are much finer and more mottled with a reddish brown color than the preceding. They are very abundant in Arizona, southern Texas and quite common in southern California.