Black-backed Woodpeckers
Member of the Picidae Family: Woodpeckers ... Sapsuckers ... FlickersBackyard Habitat: Attracting Wildlife to Your Garden ... Bird Feeding Stations ... Nesting Habits of Wild Birds and Build-Your-Own Nesting Boxes ... Wild Bird Houses / Nests (Fancy & Practical) .... Water Fountains ... Bird Baths ...... Books, Videos, CDs & DVDs
B
lack-backed Woodpeckers (Picoides arcticus) are native to the boreal forest areas across Canada, Alaska and the north-western United States. This bird is normally a permanent resident, but may move around to find better feeding.
Description:
Adults are black on the head, back, wings and rump. They are white from the throat to the belly; the flanks are white with black bars. Their tail is black with white outer feathers. Like the similar American Three-toed Woodpecker, this bird also has three-toed feet. The adult male has a yellow cap.
Breeding / Nesting:
They nest in a large cavity in a dead tree or a dead part of a tree. The pair usually excavate a new nest each year. The female lays 3 or 4 eggs.
Diet:
Their primary diet consists of insects, spiders, as well as nuts and fruits. These birds remove bark from trees in search of insects or pick them up from the bark.
Related Websites: USGS ... Birds of Nova Scotia ... Mangoverde
If you would like to add to or correct any of the above information, or would like to share with the AvianWeb visitors your own experiences, please e-mail the AvianWeb Webmaster.
Photo contributions and articles are welcome!
