From Opus

Melanerpes uropygialis

Male. Photo by Doug Lloyd

Female. Photo by Gary Clark
Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA.

[edit] Identification

Length 20-25cm, wingspan 38-46cm. Light brown breast and head, red crown on adult male, lacking in female. This is the only barred-back woodpecker in its range.

[edit] Similar Species

Very similar in appearance to Golden-fronted Woodpecker, but distinguished by barred tail and range.

[edit] Distribution

A woodpecker primarily of the Sonoran desert. SE California, where numbers are decreasing; southern Arizona southward into western Mexico, including Baja California.

[edit] Taxonomy

Three subspecies are recognized:^[1]

• M. u. uropygialis - sw US to central Mexico
• M. u. cardonensis - N. Baja California
• M. u. brewsteri - S. Baja California

[edit] Habitat

Solitary nester in holes it drills in mesquite trees and saguaro cacti.

[edit] Behaviour

Primarily insectivorous; will visit feeders (meat, suet, fruit). Noisy and conspicious, with loud abrasive call.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.

[edit] External Links