WOODPECKERS 



215 



The nests of the cock-of-the-\vo<>ds show their power more than 

 their borings, for they are cut into the solid trunks of live trees. 

 Though well up out of reach they are made conspicuous by half a 

 bushel of fresh chips scattered over the ground around the tree. 

 The cavity goes back for about six inches and then down a foot and 

 a half, and the large white eggs rest on a soft bed of clean fresh 

 chips. The same tree is often used year after year, but never the 

 same hole. A fresh one is excavated each year and the old ones left 

 for occupation by saw-whet owls, wood ducks, and flying squirrels. 



GENUS MELANERPES. 



General Characters. Bill about as long 1 as head, distinctly curved ; 

 upper mandible with an evident though short lateral ridge and nasal 

 groove, tip of bill more or less wedge-shaped ; outer hind toe not longer 

 than outer front toe. 



KEY TO ADULT MALES. 



1 



Back barred with black and white. 



'2. Forehead yellow aurifroiis, p. 218. 



- ' . Forehead not yellow. 



3. Middle of belly yellowish uropygialis. 211). 



3'. Middle of belly reddish carolinus, p. 218. 



I'.Back not barred. 



2. Belly rose color torquatus, 



2'. Belly white. 



3. Head and neck red erythrocephalus. p 



3 . Head with black, red, and white or yello\v. 



4. Chest band streaked with white . . formicivorus. p 

 4'. Chest band solid black bairdi. p 



p. 217. 

 u. 215. 



210. 

 217. 



Subgenus Melanerpes. 

 Colors in large masses ; outer hind toe and outer front toe of equal lengths. 



406. Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Linn.). 

 WOODPECKER. 



Adult male. Whole head and 

 neck deep crimson ; under parts, rump, 

 and patch on wings, white ; rest of 

 upper parts, glossy blue black. Adult 

 female : similar, but with more or less 

 transverse black spotting on inner sec- 

 ondaries, and black collar more con- 

 spicuous than in male. Young: red 

 and black of adults replaced by gray. 

 streaked \vith darker on bead and 

 neck, barred on rest of upper parts ; 

 secondaries crossed near ends by one 

 or more black bands. Length : 9.25- 

 9.75, wing 5.30-5.70. tail 3.60-3.75. 



Distribution. Breeding in Transi- 

 tion, Upper and Lower Sonoran zones 

 from Manitoba south to the Gulf of 

 Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Fig. 281. 



RED-HEADED 



From Biological Survey, U. S. Dept. of 

 Agriculture. 



