Saturday, February 26, 2011

Woodpeckers: Part V

Close to home the Gila Woodpecker. The Gila is found only in Southern Arizona (in the US) and Western Mexico. They exist almost entirely within the Sonoran Desert. He is here at The Azure Gate daily -- all day -- no possibility of not seeing -- or hearing  him. The male Gila Woodpecker has a red crown which is the best way to distinguish the sexes. They nest in Saguaro Cacti drilling a hole about four inches deep and then 10 or so inches down the saguaro. Once they "drill" the nest many other birds use the nest, including the rare "Elf Owl". But, we see various sparrows in the Saguaro holes all the time. There are various ways to describe its sounds. To me, the Gila Woodpecker sounds like a duck, quacking and quacking away. He loves to drink from our hummingbird feeders. If I walk toward a feeder the Gila is drinking from, he will fly away into the nearest saguaro and quack at me for a minute or more until I leave the area Occasionally, we wake up in the morning to the sound of the Gila Woodpecker pounding on the side of the house. Here are a few of the photos of this scrappy and noisy little guy.

Female Gila Woodpecker eating fruit from Indian Fig Prickly Pear Cactus

Male Gila Woodpecker eating fruit from Palm Tree

Male Gila Woodpecker in nest of Saguaro Cactus

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