THE ARCTIC THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 
No. 169. 
ARCTIC THREE-TOED+:WOODPECKER. 
A. O. U. No. 400. Picoides arcticus Swains. 
Synonym.—BLaAck-BACKED THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 
Description.—Adult male: Upperparts glossy blue-black, duller on flight 
feathers ; primaries and outer secondaries with paired spots of white on edges of 
outer and inner webs; a squarish crown-patch of yellow (cadmium orange) ; a 
small post-ocular spot of white, a transverse white cheek-stripe meeting fellow 
on forehead and cut off by black malar stripe from white of throat and remaining 
underparts; sides heavily barred or mingled with blue-black. Bill and feet 
plumbeous black; iris brown. Adult female: Like male, without yellow crown- 
patch. Length 9.00-10.25 (228.6-260.4) ; wing 5.25 (133.3); tail 3.50-4.00 (88.9- 
moro); bill 1.25 (31.7). 
Recognition Marks.—Chewink to Robin size; yellow crown-patch of male; 
back without white as compared with P. americanus fasciatus; and black of head 
continuous with that of back as compared with the Dryobates villosus group. 
_Nesting.—Not known to breed in Washington, but probably does so. Nest: 
hole in pine or fir stub, ro-18 inches deep. Eggs: 4-6, white, moderately glossed. 
Ay. size, .90x .72 (24.4x 18.3). Season: last week in May, June; one brood. 
General Range.—Northern North America from the Arctic regions south 
to northern tier of states, and in the Sierra Nevada to Lake T'ahoe, south in 
New England and in Alleghany Mountains in winter, but breeding thruout 
western range. 
Range in Washington.—Rare resident in coniferous forests of the central 
Cascades. 
Authorities.— |“ Black-backed three-toed woodpecker,’ Johnson, Rep. Gov. 
W. T. 1884 (1885), 22.] Bendire. Life Hist. N. A. Birds, Vol. IT. 1895, p. 74. E. 
Specimens.—U. of W. Prov. C. E. 
THE Black-backed Woodpecker should occur in all our mountains, 
and especially upon the pine-timbered slopes of the eastern Cascades and 
in the Blue Mountains. It must, however, be considered rather rare, for 
we have never met with it afield, and have records of only two specimens, 
one taken at Glacier and the other near Lake Kichelas. The species is 
practically non-migratory and should breed wherever it occurs. It is ordi- 
narily a very quiet bird, devoting itself assiduously to its search for tree- 
boring insects and their larvee, chiefly Buprestide and Cerambycide; and at 
other than breeding seasons appears stolidly to ignore the presence of 
strangers. Its note is described as a sharp, shrill “chirk, chirk”; and it is 
besides a most persistent drummer, rattling away at a single station for 
