WOODPECKERS 
403 . Red-breasted Sapsucker. 
Sphyrapicus ruber ruber. 
Range. — Pacific Coast from Lower Califor- 
nia to Oregon. 
Except for a whitish line from the eye to 
the bill, the entire head, neck and breast of 
this species is red, of varying shades in differ- 
ent individuals, from carmine to nearly a scar- 
let; the remainder of their plumage is very 
similar to that of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. 
This is an abundant species and in most parts 
of the range they are not timid. Like many of 
the Woodpeckers, they spend a great deal of 
their time in drumming on some dead limb. 
They nest commonly in aspens, preferably liv- 
ing ones, and are said to build a new nesting 
hole each year rather than use the old. The 
eggs are laid during May or June, being glossy 
white, five to seven in number, and measuring 
.90 x .70. 
Pileated Woodpecker 
403a. Northern Red-breasted Sapsucker. 
Sphyrapicus ruber notkensis. 
Range. — Pacific coast from California to Alaska. 
404 . Williamson’s Sapsucker. Sphyrapicus thyroideus. 
This is a deeper and brighter variety, and is more yellowish on the belly. Its 
nesting habits and eggs are the same as those of the southern form. 
Range. — Mountain ranges from the Rockies to the Pacific; north to British 
Columbia. 
This oddly marked species shows a surprising number of variations in plum- 
age; the normal adult male is largely black on the upper parts and breast, 
with only a narrow patch of red on the throat, and with the belly, bright yellow. 
The female is entirely different in plumage and for a long time was supposed to 
be a distinct species; she is brownish in place of the black in the male, has no 
red in the plumage, and is barred with black and white on the back and wings. 
They nest at high altitudes in mountain ranges, either in coniferous forests or 
in aspens. There is no peculiarity in their nesting habits; they lay from four 
to seven eggs, glossy white. Size .97 x .67. 
405 . Pileated Woodpecker. Phloeotomus pileatus pileatus. 
Range. — Southern and South Atlantic States. 
This heavily built Woodpecker is nearly as large as the Ivory-bill, being 17 
inches in length. They are not nearly as beautiful as the Ivory-bills, their 
plumage being a sooty black instead of glossy, and the white on the wing, 
being confined to a very small patch at the base of the primaries; the whole 
crown and crest are Vermillion, as is also a moustache mark in the male. They 
breed in the most heavily timbered districts, and generally at a high elevation; 
excavating a cavity sometimes 25 inches in depth and eight inches in diameter. 
In most localities they are very shy and difficult to approach. During April or 
May they lay from three to six white eggs. Size 1.30 x 1.00. 
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