74 LIFE HISTOEIES OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



30. Picoides arcticus (Swainson). 



ARCTIC THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 



Pious (Apternus) arcticus Swainson, Fauna Boreali Americana, II, 1831, 313. 

 Picoides arcticus Gray, Genera of Birds, I, 1845, 434. 



(B 82, C 300, R 367, G 443, U 400.) 



Geographical range: Nortliern North America ; south to the northern border of 

 the eastern United States; regularly to uortliem New England and the northern parts 

 of New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota; casually to Massachusetts, northern 

 Connecticut, northern Pennsylvania, and northern Illinois. In the Rocky Mountains to 

 Montana and Idaho, and in the western United States south to California and Nevada to 

 about latitude 39° (Lake Tahoe), and possibly still farther south in the Sierra Nevada in 

 winter. 



The northern limits of the range of the Arctic or Black-backed Three-toed 

 Woodpecker are not yet very well defined, and, judgmg from the few specimens 

 from far northern localities in the United States National Museum collection, 

 it appears to be much rarer there than the next species. It certainly must 

 be considered a rare resident in Labrador, as Mr. L. M. Turner obtained only a 

 single specimen during several years' residence in the district of Ungava. This 

 was taken at the "Forks" on December 18, 1882, and none were observed by 

 him in the vicinity of Fort Chimo. There are several specimens in the collec- 

 tion from Moose Factory, James Bay, and others from Forts Rae and Providence, 

 on Great Slave Lake; from Fort Chipewayan, on Lake Athabasca, and a single 

 one from Fort Reliance, on the Upper Yukon River, Alaska, in latitude 64° N., 

 which marks about the most northern point of its known range. The Museum 

 possesses another Alaska specimen also, taken in March, 1893, by Mr. C. L. 

 McKay, on the Mechatna River, and it appears to be rare here also. Its south- 

 ern limits are much better defined, and include the northern border of the eastern 

 United States, reaching the southern point of its range in the Adirondacks, New 

 York, in about latitude 44°, where it also breeds; and occasionally stragglers are 

 taken somewhat farther south in winter — in Massachusetts, for instance; it is 

 also recorded from Connecticut, northern Pennsylvania, and northern Illinois. 

 It is not uncommon in the northern parts of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minne- 

 sota, and breeds in suitable localities in all these States. It does not appear to 

 occur in the southern Rocky Mountains in the United States, excepting in Mon- 

 tana, but it is abundant in the Cascade Mountains, Oregon, and in the Sierra 

 Nevadas in California and Nevada, south to about latitude 39° (Lake Tahoe). 

 It has also been met with in Washington, Idaho, and eastern British Columbia, 

 and is said to be common in the wooded parts of Manitoba; it is certain also to 

 occur in suitable localities in Assiniboia and Alberta, as well as in tlie interven- 

 ing regions wherever suitable timber is found. 



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, and probably breeds wherever found. 



