BIRDS OF THE ST. CROIX RIVER VALLEY 



95 



Red-headed Woodpecker [Melanerpes erythrocephalus) 



i 



Status: Regular migrant, nesting species, and winter resident. 



Migration: Fairly common spring and fall migrant in the Western Upland 

 and Central Plain. Uncommon and more sporadic in the Northern Highland. 

 The first noticeable influx of spring migrants occurs 20 April to 1 May, 

 reaching peak numbers 15-25 May. Fall migration begins about 10 August 

 in the Northern Highland and 20 August elsewhere. Peak movements occur 

 20 August to 15 September and most have departed by 1 November. 



Nesting Season Distribution: Fairly common breeding species in the 

 Western Upland and Central Plain, rare to uncommon in the Northern High- 

 land. Breeding Bird Survey Data indicate that a uniformly distributed 

 breeding population occurs through the Western Upland and Central Plain 

 (Table 3). Evidence of nesting or the presence of inferred nesting records 

 have been obtained in all counties of the Valley. 



Winter: Uncommon and local winter resident in upland oak habitat near the 

 St. Croix River. The CBC data (Table 4) indicate that red-headed wood- 

 peckers occur regularly north to Burnett and Pine counties in winter. Moe 

 (1968) also showed that the winter distribution of red-headed woodpeckers in 

 Wisconsin extended northward including southeastern Burnett County. 



Habitat: Breeding red-headed woodpeckers occupy both upland and lowland 

 deciduous forests. Largest breeding densities occur in mature Southern 

 Deciduous Forest in the Western Upland. This woodpecker also uses second 

 growth oak forest and open-oak forest extensively. Mature Lowland Decid- 

 uous Forest that is dominated by green ash and American elm is also an im- 

 portant breeding habitat. Suitable breeding habitat is enhanced by the 

 presence of dead or dying trees. The spread of oak-wilt and dutch elm disease 

 has aided in providing additional nesting sites for these birds. 



Yellow-bellied Sapsucker {Sphyrapicus varius) 



Status: Regular migrant and nesting species, casual in winter. 



Migration: Uncommon spring and fall migrant in all regions. Spring mi- 

 grants begin to arrive 25 March to 5 April and peak migration occurs 

 15 April to 1 May. Fall migration begins 15-25 August. Peak numbers 

 occur 20 September to 5 October and departure by 25 October. 



Nesting Season Distribution: Uncommon to fairly common breeding bird in 

 the Northern Highland, uncommon in the Central Plain, rare and local in the 

 Western Upland. Documented nesting records exist for all counties in the 

 Valley. 



Winter: Yellow-bellied sapsuckers have been observed twice on the Afton 

 CBC, Washington County: 2 January 1960 and 1 January 1970 (at a feeding 

 station). 



Habitat: Yellow-bellied sapsuckers occupy a variety of upland deciduous 

 and coniferous forest types for nesting. This species is most common during 

 the breeding season in chmax or near cHmax Northern Hardwood Forest 



