Woodpeckers nest in holes in trees generally excavated by themselves.
The eggs, four to eight or nine in number, like those of most birds that lay in covered situations, are pure white. The young are born naked and are reared in the nest.
In few birds is the close relation between structure and habit more strikingly illustrated than in the Woodpeckers. Their lengthened toes placed two before and two behind (except in one genus) and armed with strong nails enable them readily to grasp the bark of trees up which they climb. Their stiffened, pointed tail-feathers are also of assistance to them in retaining their position on tree trunks, serving as a prop on which they may rest while chiseling out their homes or laying bare the tunnels of the grubs of wood boring beetles. For this purpose they use their bill, a marvellously effective tool with which some of the large Woodpeckers perform astonishing feats. I have seen an opening made by a Pileated Woodpecker in a white pine tree, twelve inches long, four inches wide, and eight inches deep, through perfectly sound wood to reach the larvae at work in the heart of the tree. The bill is also used as a musical instrument, the 'song' of Woodpeckers being a rolling tattoo produced by rapid tappings on some resonant limb.
As might be supposed the Woodpeckers are great of economic value.
Professor Beal states that at least two-thirds to three-fourths of the food of our common Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers consists chiefly of noxious insects.
Woodpeckers
[Illustration: 392.]
=392. Ivory-billed Woodpecker= (_Campephilus principalis_). L. 20; B.
2.7, ivory white. _Ad._ [Male]. Crest scarlet. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar to the [Male], but crest black. _Notes._ A sharp, penny trumpet-like _yap-yap_.
Range.--Florida west to eastern Texas; north to southern Missouri and Oklahoma; formerly north to North Carolina, Illinois, and Indiana.
[Illustration: 400.]
=400. Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker= (_Picoides arcticus_). L. 9.5.
Back shining black _without_ white; toes two in front, one behind _Ad._ [Male]. Crown yellow. _Ad._ [Female]. Crown black. _Notes._ A sharp, shrill, _chirk_, _chirk_. (Hardy.)
Range.--"Northern North America, from the Arctic regions south to northern United States, (New England, New York, Michigan, Minnesota and Idaho), and in the Sierra Nevadas to Lake Tahoe." (A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 401.]
=401. American Three-toed Woodpecker= (_Picoides americanus_). L. 8.7.
Back _with_ white: toes two in front, one behind. _Ad._ [Male]. Crown yellow; white bars on back broken, detached _not_ confluent. _Notes._ A prolonged squealing, rarely uttered. (Turner.)
Range.--Northern North America; west to Rocky Mountains; breeds from Maine, mountains of New Hampshire, northern New York, and northern Minnesota northward; south in winter, rarely to Massachusetts, central New York, and northern Illinois.
=401a. Alaskan Three-toed Woodpecker= (_P. a. fasciatus_). Similar to No. 401, but white bars on back confluent forming a more or less continuous white patch.
Range.--"Alaska Territory; casually? south through western British Columbia to northwestern Washington (vicinity of Mt. Baker); east irregularly to Great Bear Lake and the Mackenzie River Valley, Northwest Territory." (Bendire.)
=401 b. Alpine Three-toed Woodpecker= (_P. a. dorsalis_). Similar to No. 401a, but larger. W. 5; bill narrower. _Notes._ A harsh, nasal cry; a sudden, sharp _whip_, _whip_, _whip_, (Mearns.)
Range.--"Rocky Mountain region from British Columbia and Idaho south into New Mexico." (A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 405.]
=405. Pileated Woodpecker= (_Ceophl?us pileatus_). L. 17. W. 8.9.
_Ad._ [Male]. Crown, crest, and streaks on sides of throat red; sides of neck and patch on wing white. _Ad._ [Female]. Forehead brownish, no red on sides of throat. _Notes._ A sonorous _cow-cow-cow_, repeated slowly many times and a _wichew_ call when two birds meet; both suggesting calls of the Flicker.
Range.--Southern United States, north to South Carolina.
=405a. Northern Pileated Woodpecker= (_C. p. abieticola_). Similar to No. 405, but slightly larger, W. 9; T. 6.2.
Range.--Locally distributed throughout more heavily wooded regions of North America, except in southern United States, north to Lat. 63.
[Illustration: 393.]
=393. Hairy Woodpecker= (_Dryobates villosus_). L. 9; W. 4.7 Outer tail-feathers white _without_ terminal black marks. _Ad._ [Male].
Wing-coverts spotted, underparts white; nape with a red band. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar but nape band white. _Notes._ A sharp _peek_ and a Kingfisher-like rattle.
Range.--Eastern United States from North Carolina to Canada.
=393a. Northern Hairy Woodpecker= (_D. v. leucomelas_). Similar to No. 393, but larger; L. 10; W. 5.2.
Range.--British America north to Alaska.
=393b. Southern Hairy Woodpecker= (_D. v. audubonii_). Similar to No. 393, but smaller; L. 8; W. 4.2.
Range.--South Atlantic and Gulf States, north to South Carolina.
[Illustration: 393c.]
=393c. Harris Woodpecker= (_D. v. harrisi_). Similar to No. 393, but wing-coverts usually _without_ white spots; underparts dirty, dusky, brownish.
Range.--Pacific coast from northern California to British Columbia.
=393d. Cabanis Woodpecker= (_D. v. hyloscopus_). Similar to No. 393c, but whiter below.
Range.--California, east to Arizona.
=393e. Rocky Mountain Hairy Woodpecker= (_D. v. monticola_). Similar to No. 393c, but pure white below; larger, size of No. 393a.
Range.--Rocky Mountain region from northern New Mexico north to British Columbia.
=393f. Queen Charlotte Woodpecker= (_D. v. picoideus_) Similar to No. 393c, but middle of back barred and spotted with black; flanks streaked with black. (Osgood.)
Range.--Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia.
[Illustration: 394.]
=394. Southern Downy Woodpecker= (_Dryobates pubescens_). L. 6; W.
3.5. Outer tail-feathers white _with_ terminal black marks. _Ad._ [Male]. Nape-band red; smallest of group, underparts dingier than in No. 394c; white of less extent; wing-coverts spotted. _Ad._ [Female].
Similar but nape-band white. _Notes._ A sharp _peek_ and a rattle similar to that of No. 393, but not so loud.
Range.--South Carolina, Georgia, and Gulf States to Texas.