WOODPECKERS 317 



fornia Woodpecker, It gains much of its food in the outer portions of the 

 bark, where a few strokes of moderate intensity enable it to secure any 

 insect or grub living near the surface of the tree. 



At the margin of the forest above Coulterville, May 31, 1915, a Modoc 

 Woodpecker wa.& seen foraging in a yellow pine. The tree in question had 

 recently been killed by the boring beetles which were common in the 

 western forests that year. The woodpecker was going over the tree in 

 systematic manner, working out and in along one branch, then ascending 

 the trunk to the next branch where it would repeat the performance. The 

 bird was flaking off the outer layers of the bark without much evident 

 expenditure of effort, for little noise of tapping was heard ; it was feeding 

 presumably on the boring beetles or their larvae. 



At Gentrys on October 23, 1915, a Modoc AVoodpecker was seen enlarg- 

 ing a hole in a pine tree, perhaps preparing a shelter for use during the 

 winter months. The bird worked actively, but paused frequently as if to 

 inspect its work. 



At Chinquapin, on May 19, 1919, a pair of these woodpeckers was seen 

 going through their courting antics. A male was in a large yellow pine 

 at the edge of a logged-over area, calling almost incessantly. His usual 

 speenk had become spenk-ter-ter-ter, a staccato run repeated every few 

 seconds. The female answered in like voice but uttered the trill less often. 

 The male changed his location many times, and after protracted calling on 

 his part, the female flew to the same tree. 



On June 24, 1920, in Yosemite Valley, a brood of full-grown young in 

 a row of large cottonwoods near the Ahwahnee footbridge was much in 

 evidence by reason of their calls and active behavior. 



Willow Woodpecker. Dryobates pubescens turati (Malherbe) 



Field characters. — Smallest of our woodpeckers (pi. 5e) about halfway between 

 junco and robin in size. Upper surface, wings and tail chiefly black; lower surface dull 

 white; a white streak over eye, and one across forehead and down along cheek; middle 

 of back continuously white (no bars); outer tail feathers white, barred with black; 

 outer wing feathers marked with white spots near tips. Males have a bright red band 

 across back of head, this, however, not often seen; females without any red at all. 

 Flight-course in short undulations; wing strokes intermittent. Voice (seldom heard): 

 A high-pitched run or trill of unique character. 



Occurrence. — Sparse resident of deciduous timber in Lower and Upper Sonoran and 

 Transition zones. Observed from river bottom near Snelling to as high as 5750 feet 

 on Yosemite Falls trail above foot of upper Yosemite Falls, Works chiefly on soft- 

 barked deciduous trees such as willow, cottonwood, and apple. 



The Willow Woodpecker, a close relative of the eastern Downy Wood- 

 pecker, is nowhere abundant in the Yosemite region; in fact scarcely a 

 dozen individuals all told were observed by our party during the entire 



