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Black-backed Woodpecker

Picoides arcticusOrder: PICIFORMES Family: Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Codes: Common Name: BBWO Scientific Name: PICARC ITIS Taxonomic No.: 178250
Least Concern
 
Black-backed Woodpecker
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Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips
Jelly Jar Jelly Feeder
The orange "blossum" replaces the lid of a jelly jar.
Attract Orioles with Fruit
Sliced orange secures easily to the center of the ring. Low cost.
Attract with Nectar
Hex shaped nectar feeds several Orioles. Nectar kept in fridge.
Charm and Attraction
Lovely copper umbrella keeps fruit cool and looks great.

Overview

Black-backed Woodpecker: Small woodpecker with black back, black wings with white spots on flight feathers, barred flanks, white underparts. Head has a conspicuous white cheek mark and yellow crown. Tail is black with white outer tail feathers. Black bill is long and stout. Legs and feet are gray.


Range and Habitat

Black-backed Woodpecker: Resident in Alaska, Canada, and northern U.S. Preferred habitats include coniferous forests in the boreal zone, especially where burned, logged, or swampy.

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Topo Map: Tree-clinging-like Body


Listen to Call

Voice Text

"pick", "chik", "kik"

Interesting Facts

 The Black-backed Woodpecker has three toes, and is also known as the Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker.

 The activity of these birds in burned areas is evidenced by the presence of black tree trunks with orange spots. While flaking off the charred bark in search of insects, they expose the orange cambium underneath.

 Females forage higher on trees than males. Females also feed young more often than males, but carry less food in each visit.

 A group of woodpeckers has many collective nouns, including a "descent", "drumming", and "gatling" of woodpeckers.


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Yury Lisyak

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Range Map for Black-backed Woodpecker

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Family Woodpecker (Picidae)_blue
Species Picoides arcticus
Length9.5 Inches
Wingspan17 Inches

Black-backed Woodpecker

Black-backed Woodpecker: Small woodpecker with black back, black wings with white spots on flight feathers, barred flanks, white underparts. Head has a conspicuous white cheek mark and yellow crown. Tail is black with white outer tail feathers. Black bill is long and stout. Legs and feet are gray.

● Song: "pick", "chik", "kik"

● Foraging & Feeding: Black-backed Woodpecker: Diet includes mainly insects such as wood-boring beetles, grubs, weevils, ants, other beetles, and spiders. Also feeds on berries and other small fruits, acorns, and nuts.

● Breeding & nesting: Black-backed Woodpecker: Two to six white eggs are laid in a cavity excavated in a tree, often close to the ground. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Black-backed Woodpecker: American Three-toed Woodpecker has black-and-white bars down center of back. Hairy Woodpecker has white back and unmarked white underparts.

Flight Pattern

Alternates powerful flaps with glides.
Black-backed Woodpecker Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Black-backed Woodpecker: Resident in Alaska, Canada, and northern U.S. Preferred habitats include coniferous forests in the boreal zone, especially where burned, logged, or swampy.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationUncommon to fairly common
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight2.5 Ounces
Tree-clinging-like BodyX
UnderpartsX
Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.
CrownX
The crown is the top part of the birds head.
Flight feathersX
Located on the wing, and collectively called remiges (singular, remex). The long stiff feathers are subdivided into two major groups based on the location and are called primaries and secondaries.
Outer tail feathersX
The tail feathers farthest from the center.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX