Woodpecker WESTERN BIRDS 



buildings, especially when trees are scarce. The hole 

 dug is somewhat pouch-shaped, the bird digging in for 

 a few inches, then turning downward and hollowing out 

 a place big enough for nesting purposes. Of course, the 

 chips made by this digging process, that do not naturally 

 fly out on the ground, must be carried out in the birds' 

 bills. In some species part of them are left for the eggs, 

 while in others they are all taken out. 



In this work I shall describe only the most common 

 and typical of the various genera. Most of the eastern 

 species are not found in the west but their places are 

 taken by similar subspecies. 



GENUS DRYOBATES : CABANIS WOOD- 

 PECKER. 



Cabanis Cuckoo: Dryobates villosus hyloscopus. 

 FAMILY— WOODPECKERS. 



The Cabanis Woodpecker is the western representa- 

 tive of the Hairy which is not found west of the Rockies. 

 In plumage and habits it is, however, quite similar. 

 The male is about nine and one-half inches long, has a 

 scarlet patch on the back of the head, and the rest of the 

 head much striped with black and white; a broad white 

 stripe down the back, and the rest of the upper parts 

 black lightly marked with white. The central tail 

 feathers are black, the outer ones white, as are the under 

 parts. The female lacks the scarlet patch on the back 

 of the head. The northern form of this bird is known as 

 the Harris. It is slightly larger than Cabanis and is 

 smoky below rather than white. 



These birds are most often seen in the high altitudes, 

 in the mountains and timbered lands, rather than in the 

 orchards, although they sometimes nest near the abode 



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