364 LAND BIRDS 



It is usually resident — and probably breeds — wher- 

 ever found, although not very numerous in any one 

 locality. Its nesting site is usually in deciduous trees, 

 at a distance from four, to twenty feet from the ground. 

 The entrance hole is round, about an inch and a half in 

 diameter ; and the cavity excavated is from six to nine 

 inches deep. Both male and female share in the work of 

 excavating, and after the nest is finished, the male some- 

 times prepares a shallower one for himself in the same 

 tree. Nesting begins as early as the middle of April in 

 Southern California, and four weeks later in Sacramento 

 County. Four to five glossy white eggs are laid, and 

 for fourteen days both male and female share the cares 

 of incubation. After the young are grown, they separate 

 from the parents as soon as they can feed themselves, 

 preparing shallow excavations for their own shelter in 

 dead trees or rotting fence posts. Here they spend not 

 only the nights but the stormy days of winter as well, 

 feeding upon the larvae of insects in the bark. 



The call-notes of the Gairdner vary, being a low 

 " pshir, pshir," when searching for food ; a " tchee-tchee- 

 tchee," rapidly repeated, which is its commonest call; 

 and a soft " kick-kick " uttered in the mating season. 



397. NUTTALL WOODPECKER. — Dryobates nuttalli 

 Family : The Woodpeckers. 



Length: 7.00. 



Adult Male : Crown black, sometimes streaked with white ; occiput scar- 

 let ; hind-neck white ; upper parts barred black and white ; middle 

 tail-feathers black ; outer tail-feathers barred black and white ; under 

 parts white, spotted with black on sides. 



