WOODPECKERS 
209 
Nest. — Usually in dead trees or stumps rarely above 8 feet from the 
ground. Eggs : generally 4, white. 
Food. — Almost wholly wood-boring insects and larvae. 
“The arctic three-toed woodpecker is essentially a bird of the 
pine, spruce, fir, and tamarack forests, and is rarely seen in other 
localities. It is generally a resident, rarely migrating to any distance. 
. . . Like the hairy woodpecker, they are persistent drummers, rat¬ 
tling away for minutes at a time on some dead limb, and are espe¬ 
cially active during the mating season in April. I have located more 
than one specimen by traveling in the direction of the sound when 
it was fully half a mile away.” (Bendire.) 
401. Picoides americanus Brehm. American Three-toed Wood¬ 
pecker. 
Adult male. — Upper parts mainly black, with whitish nuchal hand and 
light spotting or barring on head and back ; wing quills lightly barred with 
white, outer tail feathers mainly plain white; crown with yellow patch, 
back of head glossed with blue ; under parts white, sides and flanks barred 
with black. Adult female: similar, but without yellow on crown. Length: 
9, wing 4.40-4.60, tail 3.10-3.75, bill 1.10-1.25. 
Distribution. — Northern North America east of the Rocky Mountains; 
south to the northern border of the United States. 
Nest. — In holes in coniferous trees, 4 to 12 feet from the ground. Eggs: 
usually 4, white. 
Food. — Principally wood-boring insects and their larvae. 
The habits of the American are similar to those of the arctic 
three-toed woodpecker, though it is considered by Mr. Williams of 
Montana a much more silent bird, its calls resembling those of 
Dryobates rather than Picoides. 
401a. P. a. fasciatus Baird. Alaskan Three-toed Woodpecker. 
Similar to P. a. dorsalis , but back usually distinctly barred with black 
(rarely continuously white along middle line), secondaries more distinctly 
spotted with white (sometimes wing-coverts also spotted, more or less 
numerously with white), white spots on quills larger, and female some¬ 
times with white prevailing on top of head. Length: 9.50, wing 4.50-4.70, 
tail 3.10-3.75, bill 1.10-1.25. 
Distribution. — Alaska, south to northern Washington. 
401b. P. a. dorsalis Baird. Alpine Three-toed Woodpecker. 
Adult male. — Similar to americanus , but middle of back continuously 
white , mostly streaked ; side of head with two 
conspicuous white stripes. Adult female: 
similar, but browner, and under parts dingy 
white; head without yellow patch, blue black, 
lightly flecked with white. Young: like fe¬ 
male, but with more or less yellow streaking on crown. Length: 9.50, 
wing 4.65-5.00, tail 3.20-3.65, bill 1.15-1.30. 
Distribution. — Breeds in Boreal zone from Arizona and New Mexico 
Fig. 275. 
