Color Key to North American Birds Part 44

[Ill.u.s.tration: 394a.]

=394a. Gairdner Woodp.e.c.k.e.r= (_D. p. gairdnerii_). Similar to No. 394b, but underparts sooty gray; the darkest below of any form in the group.

Range.--Pacific coast from northern California north to British Columbia.

=394b. Batchelder Woodp.e.c.k.e.r= (_D. p. h.o.m.orus_). Similar to No. 394c, but wing-coverts with few or no white spots, under tail-coverts without dusky streaks.

Range.--"Rocky Mountain region of the United States." (A.O.U.)

=394c. Northern Downy Woodp.e.c.k.e.r= (_D. p. media.n.u.s_). L. 6.5; W. 3.7.

Similar to No. 394, but larger; whiter below; white markings of greater extent.

Range.--Eastern North America south to South Carolina.

=394d. Alaskan Downy Woodp.e.c.k.e.r= (_D. p. nelsoni_). W. 4. Similar to No. 394c, but still larger and whiter; largest of the group.

Range.--Alaska.

=394e. Willow Woodp.e.c.k.e.r= (_D. p. turati_). Similar to No. 394a, but smaller, W. 3.8. superciliary patch and underparts whiter; tertials always more or less spotted with white. (W. K. Fisher.)

Range.--"California, _except_: desert ranges and eastern slope of Sierra Nevada, coast region north of Marin Co., and region north of upper end of Sacramento Valley." (W. K. Fisher.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: 395.]

=395. Red-c.o.c.kaded Woodp.e.c.k.e.r= (_Dryobates borealis_). L. 8.4. Sides of head and neck white bordered by black below. _Ad._ [Male]. A nearly concealed red tuft on either side of the hindhead. _Ad._ [Female].

Similar, but no red on head. _Notes._ A loud, hoa.r.s.e, _yank_, _yank_.

Range.--Southern United States; west to eastern Texas; north to Virginia and Arkansas.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 396.]

=396. Texan Woodp.e.c.k.e.r= (_Dryobates scalaris bairdi_). L. 7.5. Outer tail-feathers barred to their base; nasal tufts brownish. _Ad._ [Male]. All crown feathers tipped with red; back barred: below _brownish white_, spotted and streaked with black. _Ad._ [Female].

Similar but top of head wholly black.

Range.--Northern Mexico, north to Texas boundary, New Mexico, southern Colorado, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, and southeastern California.

=396a. Saint Lucas Woodp.e.c.k.e.r= (_D. s. lucasa.n.u.s_). Similar to No. 396, but outer tail-feather barred with black only on terminal half or less, except sometimes on inner web. (Ridgw.)

Range.--Lower California, north, rarely to Colorado Desert, California.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 397.]

=397. Nuttall Woodp.e.c.k.e.r= (_Dryobates nuttallii_). L. 7.5. Below white only _slightly_ soiled; outer tail-feather barred only on end half.

_Ad._ [Male]. Crown _black_ streaked with white; nape red. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar but top of head entirely black, usually, with a few white spots. _Yng._ Top of head dull red. _Notes._ A sharp _quee-quee-quee-queep_; a diminutive _chittah_. (Bailey.) Loud rattling notes. (Henshaw.)

Range.--Northern Lower California, north locally, to southern Oregon.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 398.]

=398. Arizona Woodp.e.c.k.e.r= (_Dryobates arizonae._). L. 8.2. Above _brown_, below _spotted_. _Ad._ [Male]. A red nape band. _Ad._ [Female].

Similar but no red on nape, brown of crown continuous with that of back. _Yng._ Whole crown red.

Range.--Northwestern Mexico north to southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 399.]

=399. White-headed Woodp.e.c.k.e.r= (_Xenopicus albolarvatus_). L. 9. Whole head and part of wings white. _Ad._ [Male]. Nape red. _Ad._ [Female].

Nape white. _Notes._ A sharp, clear _witt-witt_; a rather silent bird.

(Bendire.)

Range.--Mountains of western United States from southern California north to southern British Columbia; east to western Idaho and western Nevada.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 402.]

=402. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker= (_Sphyrapicus varius_). L. 8.5; W.

4.8. _Ad._ [Male]. Crown and throat red; a _whitish_ band from eye to eye across nape; belly washed with yellow; breast patch black _Ad._ [Female]. Similar, but throat white; crown rarely black. _Yng._ Breast grayish with internal dark rings or bars; crown dirty yellowish margined with dusky; red feathers soon appear on throat and crown.

_Notes._ A clear ringing _cleur_ repeated; a low snarling cry resembling _mew_ of Catbird. (Brewster.)

Range.--Eastern North America; breeds from Ma.s.sachusetts and northern Illinois north to about Lat. 63 30'; south in Alleghanies to northwest Georgia; winters from southern Illinois and southern Virginia to Central America.

=402a. Red-naped Sapsucker= (_S. v. nuchalis_). Similar to No. 402, but slightly larger. W. 5; the nape band red; _red_ of throat encroaching on black bordering streaks; female the same but chin white.

Range.--Rocky Mountain region; breeds from Colorado and northeastern California (?), north to British Columbia; winters from southern California south to northwestern Mexico.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 403.]

=403. Red-breasted Sapsucker= (_Sphyrapicus ruber_). L. 9. _Ads._ Crown, whole throat and _breast_ dull red; in other respects resembling No. 402. _Notes._ _Jay_ or _cha?_, _peeye_, _pinck_, and _peurr_: (Bendire.)

Range.--Breeds in mountains from northern Lower California north to southern Oregon.

=403a. Northern Red-breasted Sapsucker= (_S. r. notkensis_). Similar to No. 403, but colors deeper, red brighter; belly yellower.

Range.--Pacific coast region from Santa Cruz Mountains, California, north to southern Alaska.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 404.]

=404. Williamson Sapsucker= (_Sphyrapicus thyroideus_). L. 9. Belly _bright_ yellow; rump white. _Ad._ [Male]. Above black;, a red stripe on throat; lesser wing-coverts white. _Ad._ [Female]. Crown and throat brownish; back and lesser wing-coverts barred black and whitish.

_Yng._ Similar to [Female], but breast barred like sides. _Notes._ A shrill _huit-huit_ uttered when flying. (Bendire.) The roll of this Woodp.e.c.k.e.r is not continuous, but is broken or interrupted.

Range.--Higher mountain ranges of western United States; breeds from northern New Mexico, Arizona, and southeastern California north to Wyoming and southern British Columbia; winters from southern California and western Texas into Mexico.