Gila Woodpecker
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| Gila Woodpecker | ||||||||||||||
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| Melanerpes uropygialis (Baird, 1854) |
The Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) is a medium-sized woodpecker of the desert regions of the southwestern United States. They range through southeastern California, southern Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.
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[edit] Habitat
This woodpecker's habitat consists of low desert scrub typical of the Sonoran desert. They build nests in holes made in saguaro cacti or mesquite trees. Cavities excavated by these woodpeckers in saguaro cacti are later used by a variety of other species, inytewcluding Elf Owl. There, they typically lay 3-5 white eggs.
[edit] Description
The back and wings of this bird are spotted and barred with a black and white zebra-like pattern. The neck, throat, belly and head are greyish-tan in color. The male has a small red cap on the top of the head. Females and juveniles are similar, but both lack the red cap of the adult male. White wing patches are prominent in flight. The dark tail has white bars on the central tail feathers. They range from 8-10 in (20-25 cm) in length.
This woodpecker's voice is a rolling churr sound.
[edit] Trivia
- The Gila woodpecker makes its home wherever one is readily accessible. It does seem to prefer houses and saguaro cacti.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Melanerpes uropygialis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- Melanerpes uropygialis (TSN 178198). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 9 February 2006.
- Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S.; Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc. (1966).
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