Golden-fronted Woodpecker
From WikiBird
Contents |
Size
Length: ??cm (??in), Wingspan: ??cm (??in)
Field Marks
Medium-sized woodpecker with pale gray head, throat, breast, and belly, yellow nape patch and yellow spot above bill. Back strongly barred with black and white. Black wings barred and spotted with white. White bases to the primaries appear as white crescent in the hand in flight. White rump and uppertail coverts. Dark tail with dark central retricies.
Similar species
Gila Woodpecker is darker brown about the head and belly, lacks the yellow nape and spot above bill, and has black and white barring on the central retricies. Red-bellied Woodpecker overlaps in range and hybrids are known so caution should be exercised when making identifications where they cooccur. Note the Red-bellied's red nape and barred central retricies in all plumages.
Sounds
Feeding & Behavior
Insects and vegetable matter. Grasshoppers make up more than half of the animal matter and other insects include beetles and ants. Vegetable matter consumed consists of corn, acorns, wild fruits, and berries.
Habitat & Nesting
Mesquite and riparian woodlands. Tall trees of pecan, oak, and mesquite are the major species used for nesting. Occasionally fence posts, telephone poles, and bird boxes are used. Nesting behavior is similar to that of the Red-bellied Woodpecker.
Range
Texas and Oklahoma. An abundant resident of the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas.
Resources
