Overview
Gila Woodpecker: Medium woodpecker, black-and-white barred upperparts and central tail feathers, buff-gray neck and underparts. Buff-gray head has a small red cap. Wings have large white patches visible in flight. Its abandoned nesting and roost holes provide shelter for birds, mammals and reptiles.
Range and Habitat
Gila Woodpecker: Resident in southeastern California, southern Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. Preferred habitats include low desert scrub with saguaro or mesquite trees for nesting.
Topo Map:
Tree-clinging-like Body
Listen to Call
Voice Text
"churrrrrrr"
Interesting Facts
When a pair of Gila Woodpeckers excavates a nest hole in a saguaro cactus, it typically does not use it for several months. Drying time is required for the inner pulp of the cactus to form a solid casing around the cavity.
The male forages mainly on the trunk and main branches of saguaro cacti, while the female concentrates on the periphery and diseased areas.
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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