WOODPECKERS, CUCKOOS, ETC. 221 



THE HAIRY WOODPECKER* 



The geographical and the breeding ranges of the Hairy 

 Woodpecker are practically the same. These include east- 

 ern North America from the southern provinces of Canada 

 southward to the States bordering the Gulf of Mexico and 

 those of the southeastern United States bordering the 

 Atlantic Ocean. Though occasionally found in old orchards, 

 its choice feeding grounds are the timbered regions of river 

 banks and other bodies of water. 



The hairy woodpecker is one of the most useful and valu- 

 able friends of human interests. Not only does it feed upon 

 the larvffi that burrow in the wood and bark of our forest 

 and orchard trees, but also upon beetles and other insects. 

 It is onty in the winter season, when its natural food is not 

 readily obtained, that it gathers seeds and fruits. It never 

 attacks a sound tree for any purposes, and the loss caused 

 by the amount of useful grain destroyed is greatly over- 

 balanced by the good that it does in the destruction of nox- 

 ious insects. 



Regarding the building of the nest. Major Bendire says: 

 " Both sexes take part in the labor, and it is really wonder- 

 ful how neat and smooth an excavation these birds can 

 make with their chisel-shaped bills in a comparatively short 

 time. The entrance hole is round, as if made with an auger, 

 about two inches in diameter, and just large enough to 

 admit the body of the bird; the edges are nicely beveled, 

 the inside is equally smooth, and the cavity is gradually 

 enlarged toward the bottom. The entrance hole, which is 



