WOODPECKERS.J 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



and luis either no vermilion on the head or only a 

 small patch. •' 



1645.— The-Ivory-Billed Woodpecker 

 (Picus principalis). Campephilus principalis, G. R. 



The ivory-billed woodpecker is a native of North 

 America; Wiison says that in strength and mag- I 

 nitude It stands at the head of the whole class of 

 woodpeckers hitherto discovered : but he was not 

 aware when he wrote, of the existence of a species 

 in California which " as far exceeds the ivory-billed 

 woodpecker of the United States as the latter does 

 trie great black woodpecker of Europe." This 

 bird IS described by Mr. Gould, in the 'Proceeds. 

 Zool. Soc. 1832, pp. 139, 140, under the term of 

 l^icus imperialis : it is two feet in length ; while 

 the ivory-billed woodpecker does not exceed 20 or 

 21 inches. 



It is in the swampy forests of the southern dis- 

 tricts of the United States that the ivory-billed wood- 

 pecker IS to be found ; in the middle districts there 

 are no woods suitable to its remarkable habits 

 'Descending the Ohio," says Audubon, " we meet 

 with this splendid bird for the first time near the 

 confluence of that beautiful river and the Missis- 

 sippi ; after which, following the windings of the 

 latter, either downwards towards the sea or upwards 

 in the direction of the Missouri, we frequently ob- 

 serve It. On the Atlantic coast, North Carolina may 

 be taken as the limits of its distribution, although 

 now and then an individual of the species may be 

 accidentally seen in Maryland. To the westward 

 of the Mississippi, it is found in all the dense forests 

 bordering the streams which empty their waters 

 into that majestic river, from the very declivitiw of 

 the Rocky Mountains. The lower parts of the Caro- 

 linas Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, 

 are, however, the most favourite resorts of this biid • 

 and in those states it constantly resides, breeds, and 

 passes a life of peaceful enjoyment, finding a pro- 

 fusion of food on all the deep, dark, and gloom v 

 swamps dispersed throughout them •' = ' 



Beetles, larvae, and large grubs constitute the 

 Chief diet of this species, and for these it attacks the 

 bark and wood of decayed trees, its strokes resound- 

 ing far through the gloomy wilds. " Wherever he 

 frequents, says Wilson, " he leaves numerous monu- 

 ments of his industry behind hirii ; we there see 

 enormous pine-trees with cart-loads of bark lying 

 around their roots, and chips of the trunk itselt" in 

 such quantities as to suggest the idea that half a 

 dozeri axe-men had been at work there for the whole 

 morning The body of the tree is also disfigured 

 with such numerous and so large excavations? that 

 one can hardly conceive it possible for the whole to 

 be the work of a woodpecker." Audubon says he 

 has seen it detach pieces of bark seven or eight 

 inches in length at a single blow, busy in quest of 

 insects, a I the while sounding its loud notes as if 

 highly delighted. Sound and healthy trees, how- 

 ever, are never thus attacked excepting for the pur- 

 pose of nidification. The tree selected for this pur- 

 pose IS either an ash, or a hagberry ; and at a great 

 elevation, the pair, relieving each other by turns, be- 

 gin their operations. They generally select a spot 

 under the junction of a large branch with the trunk 

 as a defence against rain : they first excavate hori- 

 zontally for a few inches, and then downwards, the 

 extent of the cavity varying from a foot to three 

 feet downwards into the core of the tree; the dia- 

 meter IS about seven inches, but the aperture will 

 only just admit the bird. The eggs, generally six 

 are white. Two broods are usu^aJl^reared ^each 

 summer. Besides insects, this woodpecker devours 

 wild grapes, persimons, and hagberries. The flight 

 of this species is very graceful, though, as Audubon 

 says, seldom prolonged to more than a few hundred 

 yards at a time, unless when it has to cross a laree 

 nver, which it does in deep undulations; but the 

 transit from tree to tree is performed by a single 

 sweep. It seldom utters any sound while on the 



371 



wing, but as soon as it alights its voice is heard the 

 notes resounding to a considerable distance, 'and 

 may be represented by the monosyllable pait. pait 



^^•u'"u°"f ''•'^ ^^^ '■'''''<' ^''Kh note of a clarionet. ' 

 Ihe head and bill of this species are held in great 

 esteem, a« a sort of charm or amulet, by many of the 

 tribes of Amenca, who ornament their belts with 

 them ; and Europeans purchase them as beautiful 

 curio,.iities. When wounded, this bird generally 

 ascends the nearest tree in a spiral direction, till it 

 attains the top branches, where it hides ; but if in- 

 tercepted and laid hold of, it defends itself both 

 with Its beak and ciaws, inflicting severe lacerations. 

 The general colour of the plumage of the present 

 species IS black with violet reflexions; the head is 

 ornamented with a crest of long slender feathers 

 capable of being raised or depressed, and in the 

 male ot a rich carmine ; a stripe of white passes down 

 each side of the neck, and terminates on the scapu- 

 ars; the primary quills, except the five first, are 

 tipped with white, and the secondaries are wholly 



white; the bill is ivory-white. The female re- 

 sembles the male, except in the colour of the crest, 

 which IS black. 



1646.— The Red-head Woodpecker 

 (Picus eri/throcephalus). This beautiful, active, and 

 lively bird is also a native of the United States of 

 America, and IS a migratory species, retirin- fo 

 southern latitudes on the approach of winter, though 



New^Yo,t""!, p""«^ i''^* '''^°^ '" 'he states of 

 New York and Pennsylvania, and especially Caro- 



wnn,i i '""','""■ 'h'" ^P*^"*^" abounds in the 

 woods, and even close to the precincts of towns and 



' Wh ""'r 1??' '° ^^ ''"' "ttle afraid of man 

 1 1m 'f^^"^ °" ^ '■'^""^ ^'^1^'= by the road oTfn 

 a field, and one approaches them (says Audubon) 

 they gradually move sideways out of sight, peepTng 

 now and then to discover your intention; ^n^d when 

 you are quite close and opposite, lie still until you 

 are passed, when they hop to the top of the stake 

 and rattle upon it with th!eir bill, as?f to congratu: 

 late hemselves on the success of their cunning 

 Should you approach within arm's length, whic-h 

 T/^lT^'fy be done, the woodpecker flies to 

 the first stake or the second from you, bends his 

 head to peep, and rattles again, as if to provoke you 

 HP »r K."^"'^' u^ what seems to him excellent sport. 

 Satt fh ' ?" '¥ '°°^ °^ "'e house, hops along it 

 beats the shingles, utters a cry, and dives into your 

 garden to pick the finest strawberries he can dfsco- 

 ver. No birds are more destructive in gardens- 

 they devour fruit of all kinds as it ripens, completely' 



aX'"? '\''''V '^'^ "^''y "^^^^y *° their?etrea^ 

 apples, peaches, cherries, strawberries, &c. ; and as 

 hey visit the garden in scores, or even hundreds 

 they soon clear it. They attack the Indian-corn 

 while in Its succulent milky state ; and also rob the 

 nets of small birds of their eggs. To this luxurious 

 bill of fare may be added insects, for which they 

 search with singular dexterity and intelligenc/ 

 drawing them from their retreat! in the crevices of 

 old trees and beneath the mouldering bark "No 

 sooner have they satisfied their hunger, than small 

 parties of them assemble on the top! and branSTe 

 of decayed trees, from which they chase different 

 insects that are passing through the air, launching 

 after them for eight orten yards, attimes performing 

 the most singular manoeuvres; and on securing 

 their victim return to the tree, where immediately 

 after a continued cry of exultation is uttered. 

 Ihey pursue each other on wing in a very amicable 

 manner m long beautifully curved sweeps, during 

 w^ich the remarkable variety of their plumage be? 

 comes conspicuous, and is highly pleasing to the 

 Zm When passing from one tree to anoth"er their 

 flight resembles the motion of a great swing and 

 IS performed by a single opening ff the S d" 



whil'".S "-^ ^''^' •''"'' "^'"S '°^^fds the sp? on 

 which they are going to alight, with ease and in the 

 most graceful manner." 



„»n'''^/''^ [f i 2*" 'h's tribe, the Red-head, as it is 

 generally called, breeds in the holes of trees wh ch 

 It has worked out, and to which the pair resort year 

 after year, making it only a little deeper. It is not 

 however, m hard living trees that this species of"en 

 attempts to make its breeding-chamber.^ Audubon 

 says he does not remember even a single instance of 

 such an occurrence. '»i""«.e oi 



Wilson observes, that terrible enemy of the 



rCohiZ """1 '". ^r\^ ^"'"'<=^' 'he black snake 

 V?u" u ^°ns'n'=tor). destroys numbers of the young 

 of this bird. '-It glides up the trunk of theTee 

 and like a sku king savage, enters the woodpeckers^ 

 peaceab e apartment, devours the eggs or hebless 

 young, in spite of the cries or flulterings of^the 

 paren s, and, if the place be large enough coils 

 himself up in the spot they occupi«i, where he w 

 sometimes remain for several days." The plumage 

 The hl^'^^ "frolicsome bird" is very beautiful. 

 1 he head and neck are bright crimson ; back, wing- 

 coverts, primaries, and tail-feathers black, with bile 

 ' of tlfi"?";. """TP ^nd secondaries white, the shafts 

 of the latter bfack ; breast and under parts white 



ban^d om ^vlT'^ "T" ' *" irregular transverse 

 band of black between the crimson of the neck and 

 the white of the breast. Length nine inches. 



1647.— The Yellow-bellied Woodpecker 

 (Picus varius). This species extends in America 

 from Cayenne to Hudson's Bay : during the summer 

 It enants the depths of the forests Wofef™" 

 villages or settlements, where it breeds and rears its 

 young: in the month of October it quits the forest 

 and approaches the farms and villages, frequent ng 



^:fp,rn/' "k* t'^u' ^"■'^ °f '■^"''' but of inlec^ i^ 

 quest of which It bores the trunks of apple-trees 

 In general habits it resembles the rest of its trib'' 

 buMs much more shy than the red-head. 



dPtPif ,? °;i""^ °*" "''^ ''■'^K*"' woodpecker is thus 

 detailed - he crown of the head a rich deep scarlet 

 bordered with black on each side, the feathers of 

 the occiput forming a sligW crest, which the bird 

 often erects J from the nostrils, which are thick y 



covered with recumbent hairs, a narrow strio of 

 white runs downwards, curving round the breast 

 and mixing with the yellowish white on the lower 

 part of the breast; throat the same deep sea, etL 

 the crown, bordered with black proceeding from fh^ 

 ower mandible on each side, and spreading aTroad 

 rounding patch on the breast. This black in bTrds 

 of the first and second year is dusky grey, the feathers 

 being only crossed with circular touches of black a 

 he' fi sf ;''' "1^ ''''''^" ^"°^her of black, proce'ed 

 fmm K K T.u ^"^ "PP" P^^ of the eye, tL other 

 from behind he eye, and lose themselves on the 

 neck and back. Back dusky yellow, sprinkled and 

 elegantly waved with black ; wings bkck^ith a 

 F ""i""/ 'P°' °^ "hite; the primaries tinned 

 bltk?°b nt tn "bite .; rump whiL bordered^wl h 

 Dack, belly yellow; sides undei-the wings more 



backM: °bl Tt^ r"*^ '°"^ arrow-h^adTof 

 DJack tail black with white markings ; legs green- 

 '!b blue. Length nine inches and k hflf.^ The 



1648.— The Hairy Woodpecker 



•ppropiiaies a hollow ,l,„d, „ ,d? „'ii ""f' 

 the receplioh of the em 'inlh,' f... ^ °°' " 



Sir fi ssa:.s^'S7s.sH2; 



3rtTh:^r?i-siiti~^ 

 5?s?ri'..^rser,"fd-'i 



.ngl. of the ™„th ti . broK M„rL "efSe 



i:rdS"L75,'7h'rsThSrHt 

 ff^^:iric.Tr.h^o%^ift 



characteristic of the adult male? ^ ' '* 



1649.— Thb Downy Wqodpkcker 

 (Picus pubescms). In general habits, manners and 

 colouring this species resembles the ha"ry wood 



Fn.h ' ''h"' If ,'?."'-■';' ^'"'^"'^'■' measuring abo.Tsix 

 inches and a half i„ length. It is a native of North 



hZ nr'r"^T^'"^ "^'^bards and the neighbour- 

 hood of farm-houses, and is sfationary throughout 

 he year. About the middle of May, says Sn 

 the male and female look out for a suitable place' 

 for the reception of their eggs and young An 



sSftSoiLrarstsSij-s* Ej 



the female, both parties working with the most in^ 

 defatigable diligence. The direction of the holV"f 

 made in,the body of the tree, is generally downward 



iSh'L^=;h:rh;",;v:.=Ir~s. 

 .r^So'ftsfS'Vsar-t 



eguariy carry out the chips, often strewing then a^ 

 time 'r' '".P^e/ent suspic^ion. This operatfon some 

 times occupies the chief part of a week. BeforeThe 

 begins to lay, the female often visits the place exa 

 mines every part both of the exterior and interior 

 w, h great attention, and at length takes complete 

 possession. The eggs are generally six, of a pu e 

 white, and laid on the smooth bottom of the cavity 

 Ihe male occa.sionally supplies the female with food 

 while she IS sitting, and about Ihe last week in June 

 the young are perceived making their way up he 



tree climbing with considerable dexterity " 



the note of this active, familiar, little bird is a 



single chink frequently repeated, "'of all our wood! 



peckers, says the admirable writer already ,rted 

 'none rid the apple-trees of so many v^e.min as 



this ; digging off the moss which the negligence of 

 he proprietor had suftered to accumulate and 



probing every crevice. In fact the orchard is 1^ 



iavourite resort in all seasons, and his industry n 



cessant. In the fall, he is particulariy J^d o 



3B2 



