Forest and Rangeland Birds of the United States

Natural History and Habitat Use

Strickland's Woodpecker -- Picoides stricklandi
(includes Arizona (Brown-backed) Woodpecker)


RANGE: Resident from southeastern Arizona and extreme southwestern New Mexico south to Mexico.

STATUS: Locally common within its limited range.

HABITAT: In the northern part of range, occurs on mountain slopes and is primarily associated with oaks, but sometimes in riparian sycamores, cottonwoods, walnuts, and willows. In the southeastern part of range also associated with pines.

SPECIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS: Cavity nest sites.

NEST: Excavates holes in dead branches of live or dead trees, primarily walnuts, oaks, maples, and sycamores.

FOOD: Feeds mainly on insects and their larvae, and some fruits and nuts.

REFERENCES: Bent 1939, Davis 1965, Terres 1980.


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