Nuttall's Woodpecker
Picoides nuttallii
Summary 3
Nuttall's woodpecker (Picoides nuttallii) is a small barred black and white woodpecker with no barring on the upper back. Males have a black forehead with red on the rear crown and upper nape. Females have a black forehead, corwn and nape with some white streaking. Nuttall's Woodpeckers are more are less endemic to California although some are found in Baja California.
Sounds can be heard here: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Nuttalls_Woodpecker/sounds
Similar Species:
Downy Woodpecker has pure white in the middle of the back, pure white underparts, no white streaking on crown, and the black eye and malar stripes are unjoined.
Ladder-backed Woodpecker is paler, more white on back, has a white face with black stripes, (not a black face with white stripes like Nuttall's), barring rather than spots on outer tail feathers, and more extensive red on the head of the male, extending up to the forehead.
Where on campus? 4
These little woodpeckers are found in the more forested areas of campus including along the creeks and in the redwoods by parking lots 3, 4 and 7. You will usually see them alone, whereas the acorn woodpeckers are usually found in small family groups.
Habitat 5
Nuttall's woodpeckers can be found in oak forest and woodland, chaparral and riparian habitats.
Life History 4
Nesting Nuttall's Woodpeckers are monogamous and territorial and nest in cavities of deciduous trees such as sycamores or cottonwoods. Males often excavate the nest. Chicks are altricial.
FeedingThey primarily eat insects and some fruit and seeds. They often forage in the bark of oak trees.
Distribution 6
California and Baja California.
Migration 7
Resident
Sources and Credits
- (c) Mike Baird, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://www.flickr.com/photos/72825507@N00/512701060
- (c) Alan Vernon, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5141/5647027019_68129e035d.jpg
- Adapted by gillian360 from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picoides_nuttallii
- (c) gillian360, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
- Adapted by gillian360 from a work by (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/14524079
- Adapted by gillian360 from a work by (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/14524074
- Adapted by gillian360 from a work by (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/14524078
