220 
WOODPECKERS 
Distribution. — Colorado River in southeastern California, southern Ari¬ 
zona, and southwestern New Mexico; south through Lower California to 
Jalisco and western Mexico. 
Nest. —Mainly in giant cactus, hut also in cottonwoods, sycamores, and 
mesquites. Eggs : 3 to 5, white. 
Food. — Lizards, insects such as ants, beetles, grasshoppers, and larvae, 
with giant cactus fruit and mistletoe berries. 
Major Bendire says that the general habits of the Gila woodpecker 
are similar to those of the California woodpecker. Its ordinary call- 
note he gives as dchiirr dchiirr, and a flight note as Unit huit , which 
he says resembles the call-note of the phainopepla. In Arizona in 
October, Mr. Bailey found two of the birds roosting in a tank every 
night. 
GENUS COLAPTES. 
General Characters. — Bill acute, curved; slender and weak for a wood¬ 
pecker ; without lateral ridges or beveling; nostrils not concealed by 
nasal tufts; outer hind toe shorter than outer front toe; wings and tail 
lengthened. 
KEY TO SPECIES. 
1. Under sides of wings and tail red. 
2. Darker. Sitka to northern California . . . saturatior, p. 221. 
2'. Lighter. Western United States. collaris, p. 221. 
1'. Under side of wings and tail yellow. 
2. Back of neck with red band. Eastern North America. 
luteus, p. 220. 
2'. Back of neck without red band. Arizona and southward. 
chrysoides, p. 222. 
412a. Colaptes auratus luteus Bangs. Northern Flicker. 
Adult male. — Upper parts brown, barred with black, except for red 
nuchal band, white rump, and black 
tail; wings and tail with shafts and 
under side of feathers bright yellow; 
throat and sides of head pinkish 
brown, with black malar stripe or 
‘ mustache ’ and black crescent on 
chest; rest of under parts brownish 
white, washed with yellow and spotted 
with black. Adult female : similar, 
but without black mustache, though 
sometimes with faint indications of 
one. Young male: similar to adult 
male, but crown marked with dull 
red, nuchal band dull scarlet. Young 
female: with dark mustache. Male : 
wing 6.18, tail 4.09, exposed culmen 
1.33. Female: wing 6.06, tail 4, ex¬ 
posed culmen 1.25. 
Distribution. — Eastern and northern North America, south to North 
Carolina and west to the Rocky Mountains; occasional on the Pacific 
slope from California northward. 
From Biological Survey, U. S. Dept, of 
Agriculture. 
Fig. 287. 
