WOODPECKERS 



(406) Melanerpes erythro= 

 cephalus 



(Linn.) (Gr., black creeper; red head). 



RED-HEADED WOODPECKER. 

 Ads. — Plumage as shown by the 

 upper bird; whole head and neck 

 crimson red; back glossy blue-black; 

 under parts, secondaries, upper tail 

 coverts, under wing coverts and tips 

 of outer tail feathers white. Int. — 

 Body duller and with the white 

 areas more or less mixed with dusk}'; 

 head gray, mottled with dusky as 

 shown by the lower bird. L., 9.00; 

 W., 5.25; T., 3.50; B., 1.06. Eggs 

 — Four to seven, pure glossy white, 

 I. OCX. 75. In holes in trees. 



Range — Transition and Austral 

 Zones from Ont., Man., and B. C. 

 south to the Gulf coast; rare in New 

 England; migratory in northern parts 

 of its range. 



They make a number of notes, some of which are sug- 

 gestive of those of the common Flicker, but the one most 

 often uttered is a loud, harsh "cack, cack, cack. " They are 

 particularly noisy and do considerable drumming during 

 the mating season. Their nests are like those of other 

 woodpeckers, but of course the trees and the openings must 

 be larger, corresponding to their size. The entrance is 

 about three and one half inches in diameter, often going 

 four or live inches into hard wood and then turning down- 

 ward for from eight to thirty inches. 



RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS are remarkably hand- 

 some species but, unfortunately, in deeds are not as good as 

 they are in appearance. They are cannibalistic to a high 

 degree; indeed, it is an open question whether they do not 

 do as much havoc among eggs and young of smaller birds 

 as jays and grackles. Their depredations are confined 

 chiefly to cavity-nesting birds, such as nuthatches and tit- 

 mice. In two consecutive days I personally saw the same 



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