Nuttall's Woodpecker

Overview

Nuttall's woodpecker (Dryobates nuttallii) is a small to medium-sized bird found in the oak woodlands of California and northern Baja California. It is a non-migratory species that is closely related to the ladder-backed woodpecker but is distinguished by its solid black upper back.

Identification

• Mass ranges from 30 to 45 g with a body length of 16 to 18 cm.
• Features a black forehead with white side streaks and an unbarred black region on the upper back, distinguishing it from the ladder-backed woodpecker.
• Undercarriage is primarily white with spotted black regions, while wings and tail display striped black and white patterns.
• Adult males possess a red crown, a feature absent in females but present in juveniles of both sexes.

Habitat

The species inhabits arid to mesic woodlands, with a strong preference for oak woodlands, though it also occupies riparian sites and chaparral in southern ranges. Its geographic range extends from northern California down to Ensenada in Baja California, Mexico, generally west of the deserts and Sierra divide. Individuals are found from sea level up to 1,250 m, rarely reaching 2,000 m.

Diet

Diet consists primarily of insect larvae, such as wood borers, click beetles, and ants, which make up nearly 80% of their food intake. They forage by tapping and probing crevices in oak trees to extract insects and peel back tree layers to expose ant colonies. They also feed on sap from holes created by red-breasted sapsuckers and consume various berry seeds.

Did you know?

Nuttall's woodpeckers hammer their beaks at speeds of 13 to 15 mph, resulting in 18 to 22 hits per second, and possess a hyoid bone that wraps around the skull to act like a seatbelt, protecting the head from deceleration forces of 1200 g.