WOODPECKERS 219 



orange, or red; back finely 

 barred with black and white ; 

 rump plain white, tail black, 

 outer feathers barred with 

 white ; under parts light gray, 

 washed with yellowish on belly. 

 Adult female : similar, but with- 

 out red crown, and yellow of 

 plumag'e paler. Young : colors 

 duller, markings less distinct. 

 Wing: .J.20-r>.()5. tail 3.40- 

 3.75, billl. 20-1.40. 



Distribution. — Central and • -* 



southern Texas, south to the T7ooKr.ii t * i a?- i ^ 



p , , . Fiff. 285. Goldeu-fronted ^\ ooupecker. 



city oi Mexico. 



Nest. — () to 25 feet from the ground, generally in mesquites, pecans, 

 oaks, or teleg'raph poles. Eggs : 4 to 7, white. 



Food. — Insects of various kinds, such as beetles, ants, grasshoppers, 

 and larvje — among them one injurious to corn ; also acorns, Indian corn, 

 wild berries, and fruit. 



lu San Antonio the golden -fronted woodpecker nests in telegraph 

 poles and bird boxes about houses as well as in pecans, oaks, and 

 mesquites. In Eastland County. Texas, ]Mr. Hasbrouck says it is 

 often seen in the same tree with the red-bellied. On the mesquite 

 prairie of southern Texas the little Texan woodpecker is the only 

 one occurring at all commonly with aurifrons and there is no dan- 

 ger of confusing them. 



Aurifrons makes noise enough for a dozen, his loud penetrating 

 voice ringing across the road as you drive through the mesquites. 

 One of his common calls is a rattle like that of the California wood- 

 pecker. When he tiles he shows his white rump and wing spots, and 

 on the rare occasions when you catch a glimpse of him you can see 

 the yellow of liis neck above the black and white barring of his back. 



411. Melanerpes uropygialis (Baird). Gila Woodpecker. 



Adult mail . — Ilc.nl and midrr i);nts grayish brown, crown red ; middle 



of belly yellowish : back and rump 

 , tint If/ harrt'd with black and 

 white ; middle and outer tail fath- 

 ers inarkid with irhite- .Iduit 

 female : similar, but without red. 

 VdUtig : similar, but colors duller, 

 and markings less distinct. Wing: 

 5.00-5.30. tail 3.50-3.00. bill .0.')- 

 1.25. 



Remarks. — This species may 

 be distiiiguislu'd from aurij'nnis 

 by its brownish tinge, the absi'iu-e 

 of yellow on its liead. barn-d 

 rump, white markings on middle 

 l;iil feathers, and absence of 

 marks on tlujse next the middle. 



