172 BIRDS OF PENNSYL I 'A XI A 



GENUS MELANERPES SWAINSON. 

 Melanerpes erythrocephalus (LiNN.). 



Red-headed Woodpecker. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 21}. 



Head and neck all around crimson red, margined by a narrow crescent of black 

 on the upper part of the breast ; back, primary quills, and tail bluish-black ; under 

 parts generally, a broad band across the middle of the wing, and the rump white : 

 belly usually tinged with reddish. Bill and feet blue-black; iris brown. Female 

 is not different. 



Young. Head, neck and back dull gray, varied with blackish ; secondary feath- 

 ers, usually crossed with dark bands. The head in nearly all specimens taken in 

 fall and winter, with more or less red feathers. 



Length 9| inches ; extent about 18 ; wing 5g inches. 



Habitat. United States, west to the Rocky mountains, straggling westward to 

 Salt Lake valley ; rare or local east of the Hudson river. 



The Red-headed Woodpecker, readily recognized by its red, white and 

 blue plumage, is found in Pennsylvania at all seasons, but during- the 

 summer is much more abundant than at other periods. I have repeat- 

 edly observed these birds during- the autumn and winter months, in 

 small parties numbering from eight to a dozen or sometimes twenty in- 

 dividuals, but never found them in large flocks. 



In many localities in eastern Pennsylvania during- the past few years 

 these beautiful birds have become quite scarce. As farmers and fruit- 

 growers very generally seem to fully appreciate the beneficent services 

 these birds render, and seldom subject them to persecution, I attribute 

 this scarcity largely to the fact that the adult Bed-heads find a ready 

 market for millinery purposes. When pursued by gunners, these wood- 

 peckers first endeavor to escape by flying to the topmost branches of 

 the tallest trees ; then, if further molested, they will conceal themselves 

 in holes, where I have known them to remain for over one hour before 

 venturing out. 



In this locality these birds subsist chiefly on an insect bill of fare ; 

 cherries, berries, occasionally ripe apples, green corn and pears are fed 

 upon. In several examinations that I have made of birds shot in the 

 winter season were discovered particles of acorns, gravel and different 

 forms of insects. In the winter, like the common Crow Blackbirds, the 

 Bed-heads will sometimes visit corn-cribs and feed on corn which they 

 pick from the ears. Although I have never seen this species store up 

 acorns, etc., there is no doubt that they occasionally thus provide for 

 themselves. 



In the viscera of eleven Bed-heads examined by the writer the follow- 

 ing food materials were discovered : 



