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American Three-toed Woodpecker

Picoides dorsalisOrder: PICIFORMESFamily: Woodpeckers (Picidae)

Breeding Location:

Forest, Marshes



Breeding Type:

Monogamous



Breeding Population:

Common to fairly common



Egg Color:

White



Number of Eggs:

3 - 6



Incubation Days:

12 - 14



Egg Incubator:

Both sexes



Nest Material:

Bark chips.



Migration:

Nonmigratory



Splitbar

Overview

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Medium woodpecker with black-and-white barred upperparts, black head, yellow crown, white eye-line, throat, breast, and belly, and diagonally barred white flanks. Wings are black with white spots; rump is black; tail is black with white outer feathers.

Range and Habitat

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Breeds from northern Alaska, across Canada's boreal regions, through northern Saskatchewan, to north-central Labrador and Newfoundland; also in Eurasia, south of the tree line in Scandinavia and Siberia. Prefers coniferous forests and burnt lands; less frequently found in mixed forests.

Breeding and Nesting

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Three to six white eggs are laid in a nest made of bark chips built in a dead tree cavity, usually up to 45 feet above the ground; conifers and aspens are most frequently used. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Eats larvae of tree-dwelling insects, spiders, some berries, and bark cambium; female forages higher than male.

Readily Eats

Suet

Vocalization

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Call is a soft, timid, squeaking "mew" or "pik."

Similar Species

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Black-backed Woodpecker has solid black back. Hairy Woodpecker has unmarked white underparts, lacks barred sides and flanks, has a white back and black crown; male has red head patch.

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Family
Species Picoides dorsalis
Length8 - 9 Inches
Wingspan15 Inches

American Three-toed Woodpecker

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Medium woodpecker with black-and-white barred upperparts, black head, yellow crown, white eye-line, throat, breast, and belly, and diagonally barred white flanks. Wings are black with white spots; rump is black; tail is black with white outer feathers.

● Song: "mew", "pik"

● Foraging & Feeding: American Three-toed Woodpecker: Eats larvae of tree-dwelling insects, spiders, some berries, and bark cambium; female forages higher than male.

● Breeding & nesting: American Three-toed Woodpecker: Three to six white eggs are laid in a nest made of bark chips built in a dead tree cavity, usually up to 45 feet above the ground; conifers and aspens are most frequently used. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: American Three-toed Woodpecker: Black-backed Woodpecker has solid black back. Hairy Woodpecker has unmarked white underparts, lacks barred sides and flanks, has a white back and black crown; male has red head patch.

Flight Pattern

Alternates several rapid wing beats with short glide with wings partially folded to sides.
American Three-toed Woodpecker Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: American Three-toed Woodpecker: Breeds from northern Alaska, across Canada's boreal regions, through northern Saskatchewan, to north-central Labrador and Newfoundland; also in Eurasia, south of the tree line in Scandinavia and Siberia. Prefers coniferous forests and burnt lands; less frequently found in mixed forests.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationCommon to fairly common
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight2.5 Ounces