216 KEY TO WOODPECKERS 



tree trunks, though many birds of similar habits 

 have ordinary feet; while their tails with stiff 

 quills and pointed feathers help them brace against 

 tree trunks (see Fig. 212, p. 353), as do the bristly 

 tails of the Swifts (see Fig. 213, p. 353). Though 

 they have loud calls and are drummers, they are 

 songiess birds, and so from the standpoint of 

 music may be classed with the Grouse, Doves, 

 Crows, Jays, Flycatchers, Cuckoos, Kingfishers, 

 Goatsuckers, and Waxwings, rather than with the 

 Orioles, Finches, Sj^arrows, Wrens, Thrashers, 

 Catbird, and Mockingbird. 



Fig. 134. 

 Red-lieaded Woodpecker. 



Key to Adult Male ^ Woodpeckers. 



1. Whole head and neck bright red. 



Back black ; belly white ; wings and rump showing 

 white in flight . p. 131. Red-headed Woodpecker. 



1'. Whole head and neck not red. 

 2. Plumage mainly brownish ; rump conspicuously white ; 

 breast with black crescent; under side of wings and tail 

 yellow ; white rump seen in flight, p. 127. Flicker, 



1 The female Red-head is like the male ; in all the other spe- 

 cies the females differ from the males iu having the red less 

 extensive or absent. 



