128 BIRDS OF FIELD, FOREST AND PARK 



are roughly striped with black and white, there 

 is a white stripe over the eye, and the under 

 parts are white. Thus you see their colors are 

 pure white and black. But the male has a 

 striking feature, a bright red patch on the nape 

 of the neck, which the female does not have. 

 Their size distinguishes them from their smaller 

 cousins, the Downies. 



They are found as permanent residents 

 throughout the Eastern States, north of the 

 Carolinas, but are more common in the northern 

 portion of their range. Their nest is usually in 

 a hole in a more or less decayed tree, having its 

 entrance toward the east or south. The hole 

 extends into the tree a short distance, then 

 turns downward for a foot or so, ending in a 

 chamber where are laid the three to seven shiny- 

 white eggs. One can hardly imagine a safer nest- 

 ing site, and it seems there must be fewer 

 tragedies among Woodpeckers than among birds 

 nesting in the open. Yet, no doubt, prowling 

 red squirrels and weasels often find them out. 

 They are solitary birds, practically never seen 

 in flocks and usually alone, except in the nest- 

 ing season. 



Downy Woodpecker. The relationship be- 

 tween Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers is very 

 apparent in form, color and habits. In fact the 

 Downy seems to be just a smaller prototype of 

 the Hairy, except for slight differences in mark- 

 ings of the plumage. With the Downy, the 

 outer tail feathers are white, barred with black, 

 while Hairy has no black on these feathers. 

 The male Downy also has the dash of red on the 



