If2 Birds of North Carolina 



This is the only woodpecker which is ])crin;inciitly injurious to trees, it being 

 verj- fond of the sap and teniler inner hark. It will difz; many little holes througii 

 the ])ark, running them around the trunk one above the other. Pearson counted 

 over 1,600 of these miniature excavations in the trunk of a .small "she balsam "^on 

 the cami)us of Guilford College. The trees which they seem to attack most com- 

 monly are the white pine, apple, and black gum. In winter they subsist mainly 

 on berries, such as those of the dogwood, frost grape, and holly. 



Fia. 150. Yei.i.ow-bki.likd Sapslxkee. 



They appear to be the least shy of any of our woodpeckers. On the other hand,, 

 they are much less noisy, both in their cries and while at work pecking in the bark, 

 and thus easily escape detection by the casual observer. 



Bendire, in Life Histories of North American Birds, writes of this binl: "None- 

 of our woodpeckers are more noisy and boisterous than this species." This may 

 be correct in reference to them when on their northern breeding grounds, but it 

 certainly is not true of the birds as usually observed in North Carolina. 



Genus Phlceotomus (C. & H.) 

 178. Phlceotomus pileatus {Linn:}. Pileatku Woodpecker. 



DcKcriptiim. — Black; a white stripe clown nenk; whole top of head and crest, and a patch on 

 checks, I'cd in male, liut only crest r(^(l in female. In color distinguished from the Ivory-hilU'd 

 Woodpecker by the lack of white on the scapulars (shoulders), and by the general color bcinj; 

 dull black instead of glossy black. I,., 17.01); \V., 9.00; T., (j.2.5. 



Riiiuic (including subspecies). — Whole of North .\merica. 



lianije in Xorth Carolina. — Heavily wooded districts tlu'oughout the State; resident. 



Accoriling to the American Ornithologist's Check List, two subspecies of the 

 Pileated Woodpecker are hal)le to occur in North Carohna, as follows: 



1. Pileated Woodpecker, I'hlwotoinux pilrntiis pilcatits (Linn.). j\Iorc .sooty 

 black in color, with the white markings less exten.sive; size smaller, wing about 'J.OQ 

 or less. Southern States from North Carolina southward. 



2. Northern Pileated Woodpecker, Fhlaotonius pikaias abicticola (Bangs"). 

 Color more brownish black, white markings more extensive, size larger, wng about 

 9.25. British America, extending south in the southern Alleghanies. 



