Birds of Allegany Park 295 



from insects and their eggs in the bark or wood, or in crevices 

 on the surface. These birds are of high economic value to the 

 forest as destroyers of such insects, nearly all of which are injurious. 

 Some of them, as the Black and White Warbler for example, live 

 also among the branches and foliage and to some extent forage 

 or nest on the ground. 



Hairy Woodpecker. Dryobates villosus villosus (Linn.) 



This bird is about the size of the Robin, and easily recognized by 

 its black and white coloring. It differs from the Downy Woodpecker 

 mainly in size, but also in the unbarred white outer tail feathers. 

 From the Sapsucker it may be distinguished by the continuous white 

 back, the red on the back of the head instead of forehead or throat 

 in the male, and the lack of a large white patch on the edge of the 

 wing. 



This is the commonest woodpecker in the forested areas of the 

 Park, occurring in both types of forest. In summer it is not likely 

 to be seen except in forests. It prefers rather open high forests, 

 however, and will not often be found in the younger second-growth. 



The commonest note of this woodpecker is a loud sharp " keep," 

 differing from the call of the Downy Woodpecker mainly in its 

 loudness. A longer call is something like the rattle of the King- 

 fisher, but slurs first upward, and then downward in pitch, while 

 the Kingfisher's call maintains an even pitch. 



The nest is placed in a hole in a dead tree or branch in the forest. 

 This woodpecker is probably the most valuable to the forests of any 

 species found in the Park. 



White-breasted Nuthatch. Sitta carolinensis carolinensis Lath. 



The White-breasted Nuthatch is about the size of the English 

 Sparrow. It is light bluish gray on the back and white beneath. 

 The top of the head and back of the neck in the male are glossy 

 black, but in the female, dark gray. The cheeks and sides of the 

 head, up to a line over the eye, are white. The tail is black, spotted 

 with white on the outer feathers and the under tail coverts are red- 

 dish brown. 



This bird is fairly common in all the forest areas of the Park, but 

 prefers the more open oak and chestnut to the more dense maple 

 and beech. Occasionally it is found all summer in orchards and 

 shade trees. It lives about the larger limbs and trunks of trees, 

 climbing over the rough bark and clinging by means of its strong 

 feet. It does not use its tail for a brace, as the woodpeckers do. 

 so can climb equally well with head up or down, a habit that will 

 easily distinguish it from a woodpecker. 



The call note of the Nuthatch is a nasal note sounding like 

 " yank." It has a song indulged for a short time in spring or early 

 summer. This is a series of low notes, all on the same pitch, with 

 a slightly nasal quality, but more nearly a low whistle and more 

 musical than the call note. The sound of it is much like that of 

 the long- call of the Flicker when heard from a distance. 



