222 BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND AND EASTERN NEW YOKK 



The American Three-toed Woodpecker " has practically 

 the same range in New England as [the following species, 

 but] it is in most places very much less numerous. Among 

 the White Mountains, however, and about the sources of 

 the Connecticut River, it is not so very uncommon for a 

 bird of its solitary and retiring disposition" (Brewster). 



This species occurs south of its breeding-range far less 

 often than the following, from which it may be distin- 

 guished by the narrow bai's of ivhite across its back. 



Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker. Picoides arcticus 



9.50 



Ad. $. — Top of head black, with yellow crown-patch ; back 

 black ; stripe on side of bead white, bordered beneath by a black 

 line; wings black, spotted with white; middle tail-feathers black, 

 the outer feathers white. Ad. 9- — -Similar, but without the 

 yellow crown-patch. 



Nest, in a hole in a tree. Eggs, white. 



The Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker is "a rather common 

 but somewhat local resident of the wilder and more heavily 

 timbered portions of northern New England, whence it 

 sometimes wanders southwards in autumn and winter'' 

 (Brewster). It is rare south of the White IMountain^, the 

 Adirondack s, and the forests of Maine, though stragglers 

 are occasionally found in autumn and winter as far south 

 as Connecticut. Its notes are loud and shrill, and are often 

 uttered as the bird flies. 



The 2^^(^iin black back serves to distinguish it from any 

 other small woodpecker. The white strij^e on the side of 

 the head is also a help to identification, the corresponding 

 mark on the American Three-toed Woodpecker being a mere 

 line. Mrs. Eckstorm, in " The Woodpeckers," says that 

 she has found this to be the best field-mark of this species. 

 Adult males of both this species and the preceding have 

 conspicuous yellow patches on the crown. 



