220 



WOODPECKERS 



Distribution. Colorado River in southeastern California, southern Ari- 

 zona, and southwestern New Mexico ; south through Lower California to 

 Jalisco and western Mexico. 



Nest . Mainly in giant cactus, but also in cottonwoods, sycamores, and 

 mesquites. Eggs : 3 to 5, white. 



Food. Lizards, insects such as ants, beetles, grasshoppers, and larvae, 

 with giant cactus fruit and mistletoe berries. 



Major Bendire says that the general habits of the Gila woodpecker 

 are similar to those of the California woodpecker. Its ordinary call- 

 note he gives as dchilrr dcMrr, and a flight note as Unit huit, which 

 he says resembles the call-note of the phainopepla. In Arizona in 

 October, Mr. Bailey found two of the birds roosting in a tank every 

 night. 



GENUS COLAPTES. 



General Characters. Bill acute, curved ; slender and weak for a wood- 

 pecker ; without lateral ridges or beveling ; nostrils not concealed by 

 nasal tufts ; outer hind toe shorter than outer front toe ; wings and tail 

 lengthened. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



1. Under sides of wings and tail red. 



2. Darker. Sitka to northern California . . . saturatior, p. 221. 



2'. Lighter. Western United States collaris, p. 221. 



1'. Under side of wings and tail yellow. 



2. Back of neck with red band. Eastern North America. 



luteus, p. 220. 

 2'. Back of neck without red band. Arizona and southward. 



chrysoides, p. 222. 



41 2 a. Colaptes auratus luteus Bangs. NORTHERN FLICKER. 

 Adult male. Upper parts brown, barred with black, except for red 



nuchal band, white rump, and black 

 tail ; wings and tail with shafts and 

 under side of feathers bright yellow; 

 throat and sides of head pinkish 

 brown, with black malar stripe or 

 k mustache ' and black crescent on 

 chest ; rest of under parts brownish 

 white, washed with yellow and spotted 

 with black. Adult female : similar, 

 but without black mustache, though 

 sometimes with faint indications of 

 one. Young male: similar to adult 

 male, but crown marked with dull 

 red. nuchal band dull scarlet. Young 

 female : with dark mustache. Male : 



From Bk,h 



ii-'l S'lrvev. U. S. D^pt. of 

 Agriculture. 



Pig. 287. 



wing 6.18, tail 4.09, exposed culmen 

 1.33. Female : wing 6.06, tail 4, ex- 

 posed culmen 1.25. 

 Distribution. Eastern and northern North America, south to North 



Carolina and west to the Rocky Mountains; occasional on the Pacific 



slope from California northward. 



