Nuttall's Woodpecker

Picoides nuttallii Order: PICIFORMES Family: Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Nuttall's Woodpecker Portrait_2
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Nuttall's Woodpecker Variations:

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General

Nuttall's Woodpecker: Small woodpecker with black-and-white barred back, wings, and outer tail. Underparts are white with spotted flanks. Face is black-and-white with white patch above bill. Rear crown patch is red. Female is similar but lacks red patch on head. Juvenile has more extensive crown patch.

Range and Habitat

Nuttall's Woodpecker: Resident from northern California to Baja California. Found in canyon scrub oaks, oak woodlands, and streamside growth.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"prreep", "pit-it"

Interesting Facts

 The Nuttall's Woodpecker was named after naturalist Thomas Nuttall.

 Its limited range, low density, and close association with oak woodlands and riparian zones make it vulnerable to development that encroaches on its habitat.

 When foraging, males tend to work on the trunk and larger branches, while females use the smaller branches.

 A group of woodpeckers has many collective nouns, including a "descent", "drumming", and "gatling" of woodpeckers.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Nuttal's Woodpecker

Related Birds

Acorn Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Gila Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Red-naped Sapsucker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Arizona Woodpecker
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Family Woodpecker (Picidae)_blue
Species Picoides nuttallii
Length7.5 Inches
Wingspan13.5 Inches

Nuttall's Woodpecker

Nuttall's Woodpecker: Small woodpecker with black-and-white barred back, wings, and outer tail. Underparts are white with spotted sides and barred flanks. Face is black-and-white with white nasal bristles above bill. Rear crown patch is small and red. Bill is short and black. Legs and feet are gray.

● Song: "prreep", "pit-it"

● Foraging & Feeding: Nuttall's Woodpecker: Eats insects and some acorns; forages in oaks, yucca, and mesquite.

● Breeding & nesting: Nuttall's Woodpecker: Three to six white eggs are laid in a hole excavated in a thin, dead branch of an oak or cottonwood, or sometimes a large, thick-stemmed elderberry bush. Eggs are incubated for 14 days by both parents.

● Similar species: Nuttall's Woodpecker: Downy and Hairy woodpeckers have solid white backs and lack spots on breasts and flanks.

Flight Pattern

Alternates several deep flaps with glides.
Nuttall's Woodpecker Body Illustration_2
● Range & Habitat: Nuttall's Woodpecker: Resident from northern California to Baja California. Found in canyon scrub oaks, oak woodlands, and streamside growth.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationCommon to fairly common
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight1.3 Ounces