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Bird name:

Gila Woodpecker

Melanerpes uropygialisOrder: PICIFORMES Family: Woodpeckers (Picidae)

Codes: Common Name: GIWO Scientific Name: MELURO ITIS Taxonomic No.: 178198

Head

Topo Map: Tree-clinging-like Head

Bill Shape: Dagger, All-purpose
Eye Color: Brown in young birds, dark red or red-hazel in adult birds.
Head Pattern: Capped, Plain
Crown Color: Red spot.
Forehead Color: Buff-gray
Nape Color: Buff-gray
Throat Color: Buff-gray
Cere color: No Data

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Body

Topo Map: Tree-clinging-like Body

Length Range: 20-25 cm (8-10 in)
Weight: 71 g (2.5 oz)
Size: Size 3. Medium (9 - 16 in)
Color: Red, White, Black, Buff
Underparts: Buff-gray
Upperparts: Black and white barred.
Back Pattern: Barred or banded
Belly Pattern: Solid
Breast Pattern: Solid

Flight

Topo Map: Tree-clinging-like Flight

Flight Pattern: Undulating flight.
Wingspan Range: 38-46 cm (15-18 in)
Wing Shape: Rounded-Wings
Tail Shape: Squared Tail
Tail Pattern: Barred
Upper Tail: Black and white barred.
Under Tail: Black and white barred.
Leg Color: Gray

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Gila Woodpecker

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.

● Song: "churrrrrrr"

● Foraging & Feeding: Gila Woodpecker: Eats insects, bird eggs, fruits, and berries.

● Breeding & nesting: Gila Woodpecker: Three to five white eggs are laid in a hole in a giant saguaro cactus or tree. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Gila Woodpecker: Red-bellied Woodpecker (both parents) has extensive red on the head and nape, and paler underparts. Golden-fronted Woodpecker shows yellow on head, is paler below, and has dark, unmarked, central tail feathers.

Flight Pattern

Undulating flight.

● Range & 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.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationDeclining

^MigrationSome migrate

^Weight2.5 Ounces

Tree-clinging-like Head

Tree-clinging-like Body

Tree-clinging-like Flight

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

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.

Field Guide to Birds of North America

Gila Woodpecker

Head

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Body

Flight

Gila Woodpecker

Flight Pattern