108 LIFE HISTOKIEvS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



generally known. Througliont the greater portion of the eastern United States 

 it is a rather irregular resident. Many of these birds winter along our northern 

 border, in certain years, when they can find an abundant supply of food; in 

 fact, it is not unusual to find the Red-headed Woodpecker at such times in local- 

 ities where snow falls to a depth of 3 feet and more. Throughout the western 

 parts of its range, however, it appears to migrate pretty regularly, and it is rare 

 to see one of these birds there, nortli of latitude 40°, in winter. In the eastern 

 portions of the New England States, bordering tlie Atlantic Ocean, it is i-ather 

 rare and the same remarks apply to that part of New York east of the Hudson 

 River and to Vermont east of the Green Mountains, wlicre it is only a casual 

 summer visitor. Its breeding range is coextensive with its distribution. Birds 

 that miorate usuallv return to their summer homes about the latter part of April 

 or tlie beo'inning of May, and leave for the south again about the first of October. 

 Their movements are very uncertain at all times, and are evidently regulated 

 lar<>-elv by the food supply; even on their breeding grounds, where they mny l)e 

 common one year, not a single pair may be found the next. Its favorite resorts in 

 summer are the borders of Avoods, fringes of timl)er along streams, solitary trees 

 in fields and pastures, shade trees along country woods, and on the treeless prairies 

 of some of our Western States it contents itself with telegraph jjoles, fence jtosts, 

 etc. In tlie South, newly cleared fields in which ;i number of dead, girdled 

 trees still remain standing are much resorted to, and in sucli localities these 

 liirds are A'ery abundant at almost all seasons, but especially in winter. 



In summer the food of the Red-hended Woodpecker consists to a considei- 

 able extent of insects of different kinds, sucli as grasshoppers, ants, beetles, and 

 flies, many of Avhich are caught on tlie wing, and of such larvje as may be hidden 

 under the bark of trees, or in rotten wood; lint it rarely digs out those of the 

 wood-borino- beetles which are found in more solid trees. At this season it also 

 feeds largely on fruits and berries, such as cherries, apples, pears, figs, peaches, 

 and grapes, as well as on blackberries, ras2)beiTies, mulberries, poke and elder 

 berries, green peas, and Indian corn in the milk; and last, but not least, on young 

 birds and eggs. In the late fall and win+er its diet is more largely vegetable, 

 one of its staples being beechnuts; the 1)erries of the sour gum, dogwood, and 

 palmetto are also largely eaten; acorns, Indian corn, and small grains are like- 

 wise used, and it is well known that these birds als<» store away supplies, consisting 

 both of insects and vegetable matter, for winter use. 



One of the strangest things in the life history of this species, so entirely 

 diff"erent in every respect from the liabits of all our other Wood^jeckers, is the 

 fact that it feeds on both the eggs and young of other birds. I would hesitate 

 somewhat to record such an exceedingly pernicious liabit if I liad the least doubt 

 as to it and had not personally witnessed it. I have been aware of the fact that 

 it did sometimes throw out the eggs of other birds nesting in cavities in trees, 

 since May 18, 1885, when I found a Red-headed Woodpecker rifling the nest of 

 a Red-shafted Flicker near Fort Custer, Montana, where both these species 

 were not uncommon. The cavity contained six fresh eggs, two of which had 



