WOODPECKERS 209 



Nest. Usually in dead trees or stumps rarely above 8 feet from the 

 ground. Eggs : generally 4, white. 



Food. Almost wholly wood-boring insects and larvae. 



"The arctic three-toed woodpecker is essentially a bird of the 

 pine, spruce, fir, and tamarack forests, and is rarely seen in other 

 localities. It is generally a resident, rarely migrating to any distance. 

 . . . Like the hairy woodpecker, they are persistent drummers, rat- 

 tling away for minutes at a time on some dead limb, and are espe- 

 cially active during the mating season in April. I have located more 

 than one specimen by traveling in the direction of the sound when 

 it was fully half a mile away." (Bendire.) 



401. Picoides americanus Brehm. AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOOD- 

 PECKER. 



A dull male. Upper parts mainly black, with whitish nuchal band and 

 light spotting or barring on head and back ; wing quills lightly barred with 

 white, outer tail feathers mainly plain white ; crown with yellow patch, 

 back of head glossed with blue ; under parts white, sides and flanks barred 

 with black. Adult female: similar, but without yellow on crown. Length: 

 9, wing 4.40-4.60, tail 3.10-3.75, bill 1.10-1.25. 



Distribution. Northern North America east of the Rocky Mountains ; 

 south to the northern border of the United States. 



Nest. In holes in coniferous trees, 4 to 12 feet from the ground. Eggs : 

 usually 4, white. 



Food. Principally wood-boring insects and their larvae. 



The habits of the American are similar to those of the arctic 

 three-toed woodpecker, though it is considered by Mr. Williams of 

 Montana a much more silent bird, its calls resembling those of 

 Dryobates rather than Picoides. 



40 la. P. a. fasciatus Baird. ALASKAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 



Similar to P. a. dorsalis, but back usually distinctly barred with black 

 (rarely continuously white along middle line), secondaries more distinctly 

 spotted with white (sometimes wing-coverts also spotted, more or less 

 numerously with white), white spots on quills larger, and female some- 

 times with white prevailing on top of head. Length : 9.50, wing 4.50-4.70, 

 tail 3.10-3.75, bill 1.10-1.25. 



Distribution. Alaska, south to northern Washington. 



40 lb. P. a. dorsalis Baird. ALPINE THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 



Adult male. Similar to americanus, but middle of back continuously 

 white, mostly streaked ; side of head with two 

 conspicuous white stripes. Adult female : 

 similar, but browner, and under parts dingy ^^ 



white ; head without yellow patch, blue black, 

 lightly flecked with white. Young : like fe- 

 male, but with more or less yellow streaking on crown. Length: 9.50, 

 wing 4.65-5.00, tail 3.20-3.65, bill 1.15-1.30. 



Distribution. Breeds in Boreal zone from Arizona and New Mexico 



