The Woodpeckers Part 9

Similar, but with a _narrow band of white_ across the _forehead_; breast and sides not so thickly streaked.

Lower California, never occurring within the borders of the United States.

b. _M. f. bairdi_, _Californian Woodp.e.c.k.e.r_, _El Carpintero_.

Similar to _M. formicivorus_, but the breast black, little streaked with white except along the sides; yellow of throat paler, or replaced by white. Iris white. Larger, 7.5-9.5 inches.

Pacific coast, north into Oregon to 44, east to southern New Mexico and Texas in the south and to the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains in the north, but more abundant, on the western than on the eastern slopes of these mountains.

17. MELANERPES TORQUATUS, _Lewis's Woodp.e.c.k.e.r_.

Upper parts, wings, and tail glossy greenish black; under parts _pinkish red_; chest and _collar round hind neck h.o.a.ry gray_; crown and sides of head black; forehead, cheeks, and chin crimson. _s.e.xes alike._ Young with pink replaced by grayish. 10.5-11.5 inches.

Pacific coast, east to Black Hills and Rocky Mountains between Arizona and 49th parallel; casual still farther east; migratory in its northern ranges; a silent, heavy flying bird, different in habits and appearance from the other woodp.e.c.k.e.rs; often seen flycatching.

18. MELANERPES CAROLINUS, _Red-bellied Woodp.e.c.k.e.r_, _Zebra Bird_.

Back and wings black, _barred with white_; under and upper tail coverts, middle and outer tail feathers, white varied with black; head and under parts ashy; _belly tinged with reddish_.

[M] with whole top of head and nape bright red; [F] with forehead and nape red, crown gray. 9-10 inches.

Eastern and Southern States between the Hudson River and the Rocky Mountains, north to southern New York, Ohio, southern Michigan, etc.; migratory in its northern ranges.

19. MELANERPES AURIFRONS, _Golden-fronted Woodp.e.c.k.e.r_.

Back and wings barred with black and white; rump white; entire under parts brownish white, unspotted (except under tail coverts); primaries unspotted, except at tip; tail black with slightly barred outer feathers; _belly yellowish; forehead and hind neck orange in both s.e.xes_. [M] with _crown red_ set in a larger patch of clear gray; [F]

with crown clear gray. 9.5 inches.

Central and southern Texas, north to about 33; breeds wherever found.

20. MELANERPES UROPYGIALIS, _Gila Woodp.e.c.k.e.r_.

Back and wings barred with black and white; _head and lower parts smoky brown_; rump black and white; tail barred on inner and outer feathers; primaries unspotted; belly yellow (not conspicuous). [M] with red crown surrounded by brownish; "iris red" (Hayden). 9 inches.

Southwestern New Mexico and Arizona to southeastern California, usually above 2000 feet alt.i.tude; its distribution depending princ.i.p.ally upon the giant cactus.

21. COLAPTES AURATUS, _Flicker_, _Yellow-hammer_, _High-hole_, _Clape_.

Back and wings (except primaries) brownish gray, barred with black; under parts pale vinaceous spotted with black spots from breast downward; _rump white; tail and wings golden yellow beneath_, dark above, showing the yellow shafts; tail feathers with black tips below; top of head ashy gray, sides of head and throat vinaceous; a broad _black crescent_ across breast, a bright scarlet one on nape. [M] _with black jaw patches_; [F] without them. 12 inches.

South Atlantic and Gulf region, north to North Carolina.

a. _C. a. luteus_, _Northern Flicker_.

Larger; paler; black bars above narrower; less black and white below.

North from North Carolina and west to the Rocky Mountains; casual farther west; migratory from its northern ranges.

22. COLAPTES CAFER, _Red-shafted Flicker_.

Color pattern similar to above with the following differences: _wings and tail red beneath_ instead of yellow; throat ashy gray; usually no red on occiput (though some specimens show a narrow crescent). [M] _with red jaw patches_.

12.5-14 inches.

Rocky Mountain region west to Pacific coast from Mexico to British Columbia, except northwest coast region of Oregon, Was.h.i.+ngton, and British Columbia, and occasionally east to Kansas and Nebraska; resident except in the more northern portions of its range.

a. _C. c. saturatior_, _Northwestern Flicker_.

Darker; smaller; narrower breast crescent.

Northwest coast, replacing the above, from which it cannot be separated in life.

23. COLAPTES CHRYSOIDES, _Gilded Flicker_; _Cactus Flicker_.

Color pattern same as _C. auratus_, but throat gray; top of head brown; _occiput without band_; tail band broader and yellow paler than in _C. auratus_. [M] with _jaw patches bright red_; "iris blood red" (Hayden).

Central and southern Arizona and Lower California.

a. _C. c. brunescens_, _Brown Flicker_.

A curious subspecies of the last, smaller, with larger, more numerous spots and a smoky brown cast of plumage; black tail band very wide; jaw patches red; wings and tail yellow beneath.

Lower (not southern) California; casual only in southern California; in Arizona to 35.

24. COLAPTES RUFIPILEUS, _Guadalupe Island Flicker_.

Coloration like _C. cafer_, crown decidedly brown; crescent on nape wanting; jaw patches red; wings and tail _red_ beneath.

Guadalupe Island off the coast of Lower California.