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White-headed Woodpecker

Picoides albolarvatusOrder: PICIFORMESFamily: Woodpeckers (Picidae)

Breeding Location:

Forests, coniferous, Mountains



Breeding Type:

Monogamous



Breeding Population:

Fairly common in coniferous range



Egg Color:

White



Number of Eggs:

3 - 7



Incubation Days:

14



Egg Incubator:

Both sexes



Nest Material:

Few wood chips in tree.



Migration:

Nonmigratory



Splitbar

Overview

White-headed Woodpecker: Medium-sized woodpecker, mostly black with large white wing patches. Head and throat are white; nape patch is red and narrow. Small black stripe behind the eye. Bill is black and small. Legs and feet are black. This is the only North American woodpecker with a white head.

Range and Habitat

White-headed Woodpecker: Resident from extreme south-central British Columbia, northeastern Washington, and Idaho, south to southern California and western Nevada. Some birds migrate down mountain slopes in the winter. Ponderosa pine belts in mountains are the preferred habitat.

Breeding and Nesting

White-headed Woodpecker: Three to seven white eggs are laid in a nest cavity in a pine stub or snag, often close to the ground. Both parents incubate eggs for about 14 days.

Foraging and Feeding

White-headed Woodpecker: Feeds on insects and conifer seeds. Peers into cracks of bark and probes crevices with tongue; generally forages on cones in late summer or winter.

Readily Eats

Suet, Sunflower Seed, Nuts, Sugar Water, Fruit

Vocalization

White-headed Woodpecker: Usually silent; call is a sharp "pee-dink" or a more prolonged "pee-dee-dee-dink."

Similar Species

White-headed Woodpecker: Acorn Woodpecker has white rump and belly, and black on face and crown.

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Family Woodpecker (Picidae)_blue
Species Picoides albolarvatus
Length9 Inches
Wingspan17 Inches

White-headed Woodpecker

White-headed Woodpecker: Medium-sized woodpecker, mostly black with large white wing patches. Head and throat are white; nape patch is red and narrow. Small black stripe behind the eye. Bill is black and small. Legs and feet are black. This is the only North American woodpecker with a white head.

● Song: "pee-dink", "pee-dee-dee-dink"

● Foraging & Feeding: White-headed Woodpecker: Feeds on insects and conifer seeds. Peers into cracks of bark and probes crevices with tongue; generally forages on cones in late summer or winter.

● Breeding & nesting: White-headed Woodpecker: Three to seven white eggs are laid in a nest cavity in a pine stub or snag, often close to the ground. Both parents incubate eggs for about 14 days.

● Similar species: White-headed Woodpecker: Acorn Woodpecker has white rump and belly, and black on face and crown.

Flight Pattern

Alternates several deep flaps with glides.
White-headed Woodpecker Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: White-headed Woodpecker: Resident from extreme south-central British Columbia, northeastern Washington, and Idaho, south to southern California and western Nevada. Some birds migrate down mountain slopes in the winter. Ponderosa pine belts in mountains are the preferred habitat.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationFairly common in coniferous range
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight2.2 Ounces