Picoides villosus
A second or third look is often required to confirm the identity of the Hairy Woodpecker, which is easily confused with its smaller cousin, the Downy Woodpecker. During courtship, Hairy Woodpeckers drum rhythmically on trees-the wood reverberates with the sound. In courtship flights, this bird's wings produce loud sounds when they are occasionally beaten against the bird's flanks. The secret to the woodpeckers' wood-boring ways is hidden in their bills: most woodpeckers have very long tongues-in some cases more than four times the length of the bill-and the tip of the tongue is sticky with saliva, and it is finely barbed to seize wood-boring insects. The length of the tongue is made possible by twin structures that wrap around the perimeter of the skull; these structures store the tongue in much the same way that measuring tape is stored in its case. |
I.D.: General: pure white belly; black wings are spotted with white; black cheek and crown; bill is about as long as the head is wide; black tail with white outer tail feathers. Male: small red patch on the back of the head. Female: no red patch. Size: L 71/2-91/2 in. (19-24 cm). Range: locally common year-round resident throughout the Rockies. Habitat: aspen, spruce and mixed forests up to the montane. Nesting: excavates a nest site in a live or decaying trunk or limb; pair shares in the excavation, which lasts more than 2 weeks; lines cavity with wood chips; pair incubates 4-5 eggs for up to 12 days. Feeding: forages on trunks and branches; chips, hammers and probes bark for insect eggs, cocoons, larvae and adults; also eats nuts, fruit and seeds; attracted to feeders. Voice: loud, sharp call: peek peek; long, unbroken trill: keek-ik-ik-ik-ik-ik. Similar Species: Downy Woodpecker: smaller; shorter bill; dark spots on the white outer tail feathers. |
