The California Woodpecker 
black and brownish black on tips of quills; edge of wing white,—a large white patch, 
nearly concealed, involving base of primaries and inner edges of secondaries; remaining 
underparts white; the lower breast below the black patch, the sides, flanks, lining of 
wings, and crissum, sharply and heavily streaked or striped with black. Bill and feet 
black; iris highly variable,—white, yellow, brownish, or even bluish or pinkish. Adult 
female: Like male, but red restricted to hind crown and nape, in so far replaced by 
shining black. Young birds are duller, but exhibit the characteristic pattern of adult. 
Birds in any plumage are likely to exhibit touches of red on the black of upper breast 
or the yellow of lower throat. Length (sexes about equal sized): 215.9-254 (8.50- 
10.00), averaging about 228.6 (9.00); wing 143.3 (5-65); tail 80 (3.15); bill 29 (1.14); 
tarsus 22 (.866). 
Recognition Marks. — Robin size; black, white, red, and yellow of head; black 
breast continuous with back. The only bird this could possibly be confused with is 
the male Williamson Sapsucker, which has a yellow belly with red on throat, but not 
on crown or nape. 
Nesting. — Nest: A hole in live or dead portion of white oak or live-oak, syca¬ 
more, or other tree. Eggs: 4 or 5 (17 of record!); white, scarcely glossy. Av. size 
25.4 x 19 (1.00 x .75). Season: April-June 10; one brood. 
Range of Balanosphyra formicivorus. —Pacific Coast and southwestern border 
of the United States from western Oregon and western Texas to Colombia. 
Range of B. f. bairdi. —Resident in Upper Sonoran and lower Transition zones 
of the Pacific slope from northwestern Oregon to northern Lower California. 
Distribution in California. —Common resident in timbered sections west of 
the Sierras, locally abundant in oak timber, and in lightly wooded valleys. Recorded 
casually (?) from Carroll Creek on the eastern flanks of the Sierras (Grinnell). Not 
found on the islands. 
Authorities.—Vigors {Pious formicivorus), Zool. Voy. “Blossom,” 1839, p. 23 
(Monterey); Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., no. 21, 1881, pp. 34, 35 (orig. desc.; 
type locality, Petaluma, Sonoma Co.); Bendire, Life Hist. N. Am. Birds, vol. ii., 1895, 
p. 112, part; McAfee, U. S. Dept. Agric., Biol. Surv. Bull., no. 37, 1912, p. 43 (food); 
Ritter, Condor, vol. xxiii., 1921, p. 3, figs, (acorn storing); ibid., vol. xxiv., pp. 109-122, 
(important summary); Henshaw, Condor, vol. xxiii., 1921, p. 109, figs, (acorn storing); 
Gignoux, Condor, vol. xxiii., 1921, p. 118, fig. (almond storing). 
JACOB, Jacob, Jacob, shouts a jeering, raucous voice on the campus 
of one of our two greatest universities. The conscious freshman, newly 
arrived in the West, turns him around to get a view of his tormentor. 
There is no one near, apparently; but from the oak tree overhead comes 
again that mocking cry— Jacob, Jacob. Ah! it is no sophomore, bent on 
hazing, but a California Woodpecker greeting one of his own kind. The 
other bird has just brought another acorn to ornament the fretwork in 
the giant live-oak which rears itself in front of President Jordan’s resi¬ 
dence, and there is much animated discussion as to its placing. Kerack 
Kerack, “Where shall I put it?” asks the acorn-bearer. Chaar chaar 
tchurrup, replies the sexton, who has just completed a neat round exca¬ 
vation in the heavy bark of a large oak bough. In goes the acorn, 
pointed end down, and whack, whack goes the sexton’s spade, till the 
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