Arizona Woodpeckers
Member of the Picidae Family: Woodpeckers ... Sapsuckers ... Flickers
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The Arizona Woodpeckers (Picoides arizonae) is known in older field guides as a subspecies of Strickland's Woodpecker. The 42nd supplement of the American Ornithologists Union checklist officially split Strickland's Woodpecker into two species: the northern population in the Sierra Madre Occidental region (Arizona, P. arizonae) and the southern population in central Mexico (Strickland's, P. stricklandi).
Distribution / Range: United States range restricted to southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico.
Description: Arizona Woodpeckers are nearly identical to Strickland's Woodpeckers, growing to be about 7 to 8 inches in length. Their plumage is mainly brown and white in coloration, brown on top with a dark rump with white underparts speckled with brown spots. Arizona Woodpeckers usually have white bars on their wings, and have two white stripes across their face which join with another white bar on their neck. Male Arizona Woodpeckers also have a red patch on the nape of their head which is lacking on females.
Identification Tips:
- Pointed bill Brown crown, cheek, malar streak and upperparts
- White border to cheek White underparts with dark spotting
- Male has red nape patch
- Similar species: The Strickland's Woodpecker has a uniform brown back that other woodpeckers, flickers and sapsuckers lack.
Call / Song:
The call of the Arizona Woodpecker is a sharp, squeaky keech, and this species also gives a rattle call of descending, grating notes. (Sources: Wikipedia.org and USGS)
Related Websites: Mangoverde
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