WOODPECKERS 201 



GENUS DRYOBATES. 



General Characters. Bill straight, sqnare at tip, beveled toward end, 

 with sharp culmen and distinct lateral ridges, and large nasal tufts hiding 

 the nostrils ; tongue greatly extensile ; feet with outer hind toe longer than 

 outer front toe ; wing long, pointed. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



1. Upper parts brown arizonae, p. 206. 



1'. Upper parts black, marked with white. 



2. Outer tail feathers plain white or with only two distinct bars. 



3. Upper parts black, barred with white .... nuttallii, p. 205. 

 3'. Upper parts black, with a white stripe down back. 



4. Wing coverts and tertials conspicuously spotted with white. 



leucomelas, p. 201. 



4'. Wing coverts and tertials plain black or lightly spotted with 

 white. 



5. Under parts smoky gray harrisii, p. 202. 



5'. Under parts pure white. 



6. Smaller hyloscopus, p. 202. 



6'. Larger monticola, p. 203. 



2'. Outer tail feathers white, barred with black. 

 3. Upper parts black, barred with white. 



4. Outer web of outer tail feather barred for more than terminal 



half bairdi, p. 204. 



4'. Outer web of outer tail feather barred for only terminal half or 



less lucasanus, 205. 



3'. Upper parts black, with white stripe down back. 



4. Wing coverts conspicuously spotted with white. Middle and 



northern United States medianus, p. 204. 



4'. Wing coverts not conspicuously spotted with white. 

 5. Under parts pure white. Rocky Mountain region. 



homorus, p. 203. 



5'. Under parts smoky gray or brown. British Columbia to Cali- 

 fornia gairdnerii, p. 20o. 



393a. Dryobates villosus leucomelas (Bodd.}. NORTHERN 

 HAIRY WOODPECKER. 



Adult male. Upper parts black, with a scarlet band across back of 

 crown, white stripe down back and wing coverts 

 and tertials conspicuously spotted with white ; outer 

 tail feathers plain white ; under parts pure clear 

 white. Adult female : similar, but without red 

 on head. Young : crown with red. Length : Fig. 268. 



10-11, wing 5.02-5.40, tail 3.60-3.80, bill 1.40-1.62. 



Distribution. Northern North America, south to about the northern 

 border of the United States. 



Nest. In holes in trees. Eggs : white. 



Food. Larvae of wood-boring insects, ants, and a small amount of wild 

 fruit, berries, and beechnuts. 



The hairy woodpecker, of whatever geographic race, is a quiet, 

 solitary bird of the timber, and you may ride through the forests 

 day after day without seeing it, as its surprising absence from your 



