General

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Medium-sized woodpecker with black-and-white barred upperparts, black head, yellow crown, white eye-line, throat, breast, and belly, and diagonally barred white flanks. Wings are black with white spots; rump is black; tail is black with white outer feathers. Female lacks yellow crown.

Range and Habitat

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Found throughout inland Alaska, across Canada's boreal regions, through northern Saskatchewan, to north-central Labrador and Newfoundland; also has limited distribution along the Rocky Mountains south to New Mexico and Arizona. Prefers coniferous forests and burnt lands; less frequently found in mixed forests.

Breeding and Nesting

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Three to six white eggs are laid in a nest made of bark chips built in a dead tree cavity, usually up to 45 feet above the ground; conifers and aspens are most frequently used. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Eats larvae of tree-dwelling insects, spiders, some berries, and bark cambium; female forages higher than male.

Vocalization

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Call is a soft, timid, squeaking "mew" or "pik."

Similar Species

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Black-backed Woodpecker has solid black back. Hairy Woodpecker has unmarked white underparts, lacks barred sides and flanks, has a white back and black crown; male has red head patch.