| Gila woodpecker | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Piciformes |
| Family: | Picidae |
| Genus: | Melanerpes |
| Species: | M. uropygialis |
| Binomial name | |
| Melanerpes uropygialis (Baird, 1854) | |
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| Distribution (green) | |
TheGila woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) is a medium-sizedwoodpecker of the desert regions of the southwesternUnited States and westernMexico. In the U.S., they range through southeasternCalifornia, southernNevada,Arizona, andNew Mexico.
The back and wings of thisbird are spotted and barred with a black and whitezebra-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 birds 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 tailfeathers. The birds range from 8–10 in (20–25 cm) in length.
This woodpecker's voice is a rollingchurr sound. It also makes ayip yip yip sound and akee-u, kee-u, kee-u sound. Its drum is long and steady.
This woodpecker's habitat consists of low desert scrub typical of theSonoran Desert, as well asarroyos (washes) and small towns.[2]
They build nests in holes made insaguaro cacti[3] ormesquite trees. Cavities excavated by these woodpeckers in saguaro cacti (known as a "boot"[4]) are later used by a variety of other species, including theelf owl.[5] There, they typically lay 3–4 whiteeggs, although as many as 6[6] or 7[7] have been noted. 2–3 broods are laid a year. Both sexes incubate and feed offspring.[6]
As a woodpecker, its diet is composed greatly of insects, which it gains from drilling into bark.[7] Gila woodpeckers are omnivorous, and do take fruits, nectar, seeds, as well as lizards, eggs, worms, and even young chicks of small birds.[6] They are even known to hang on human placed hummingbird feeders and sip up the nectar.[4]
TheIUCN rates the species as least concern.[8] It is an endangered species in California, where populations have suffered notably. Arizona populations remain strong. Theeffects of climate change could severely reduce available habitat.[9]
Cavities in saguaro cactuses in the Southwest are common. Both gilded flickers and Gila woodpeckers make these cavities for nesting, but they often choose different locations on the cactus.
Although they do not use them immediately, waiting first for the sap to harden, Gila Woodpeckers excavate cavities in cacti and trees as nesting sites.
