Gila Woodpecker

Gila Woodpecker, adult male; Tucson, AZ, late April

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Gila Woodpecker, adult female; Tucson, AZ, April

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A conspicuous resident in the deserts of the Southwest and Mexico, the Gila Woodpecker is a characteristic bird of the saguaro cactus forests.

Description

• Medium- to large-sized woodpecker.
• Back barred black-and-white.
• Brown face and neck.
• Male with red cap.

• Size: 24 cm (9 in)
• Wingspan: 41 cm (16 in)
• Weight: 51-79 g (1.8-2.79 ounces)

Sex Differences

Male with red cap, female with entirely brown head.

Sound

Call a loud, raspy "churr." Also short "pip" notes. Also drums.

Conservation Status

Populations may be slightly declining. Threatened by human development of Sonoran Desert and by competition for nest sites with European Starlings.

Other Names

Pic des saguaros (French)
Carpintero de Gila, Carpintero del desierto (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• When a pair of Gila Woodpeckers excavates a nest hole in a saguaro cactus, it typically does not use it for several months. Drying time is required for the inner pulp of the cactus to form a solid casing around the cavity.
• The male Gila Woodpecker forages mainly on the trunk and main branches of saguaro cacti, while the female concentrates on the periphery and diseased areas.

Sources used to construct this page:

Edwards, H. H., and G. D. Schnell. 2000. Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis). In The Birds of North America, No. 532 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.