WOODPECKERS 277 



When a forest fire has destroyed a considerable tract of woods 

 or when an equally large tract has been drowned out by water 

 it is only a matter of a few years until the standing stubs have 

 become thoroughly infested with various species of woodworking 

 insects, mainly beetles and their larvae. At this stage of 

 events the species in question as well as its near relative the 

 American Three-toed, and to some extent other Woodpeckers, 

 may be found for a few years in considerable numbers in terri- 

 tory of the sort described. 



The species feeds almost exclusively on the timber destroying 

 pests which work in dead woods, such being mainly beetles 

 and their larvae, only occasionally eating wild fruit and berries. 



The nest is excavated in dead trees and stubs, both sexes 

 helping in this task, and three to five, usually four glossy white 

 eggs are laid about the last of May. Major Bendire gives the 

 average measurement of the eggs as 0.96 x 0.72. The bird 

 utters a call much like "w-e-e-a" in a shrill clear tone very 

 frequently. 



401. Pkoides americanus Brehm. American Three-toed 

 Woodpecker; Banded-back Three-toed Woodpecker; Ladder- 

 back Woodpecker; White-backed Woodpecker. 



Plumage of adult male : crown with an orange patch ; above black, spotted 

 with white on head and wings, barred with white on back ; the outer tail 

 feathers black and white, inner ones black ; eye region black and white and 

 sides barred with same ; below otherwise white. Plumage of adult female : 

 orange crown patch lacking, otherwise spotted or barred black and white 

 above like male. Toes three. Wing 4.55 ; culmen 1.12. 



Geog. Dist. — Northern North America east of the Rocky Mountains from 

 northern Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Minnesota northward to 

 Arctic Regions ; resident where found save for a slight migration southward 

 which may be more properly called a moving from the wilds into adjacent 

 settled localities. 



County Records. — Aroostook ; rare resident of the wilder portions, (Knight). 

 Franklin: rare resident, (Richards); rare winter resident, TSweet). Han- 

 cock ; rare resident of Union River section, (Knight) . Kennebec ; very 

 rare, (Powers). Oxford; winter visitant, (Nash). Penobscot; rare resident 

 of the wilder sections, (Knight). Piscataquis; rare winter visitor, (Homer). 

 Sagadahoc; rare, two specimens only, (Spinney). Somerset; resident in 



