Birds Page 4

Red-naped Sapsucker

Beautiful bird often seen during the spring and fall. They peck away at fruit trees for the sap and the insects that become trapped in the sap.

Williamson's Sapsucker - Female

As with the Red-naped Sapsucker, a beautiful bird often seen during the spring and fall. They spend the summer here, but are less often seen at birdfeeders during the nesting season. They peck away at fruit trees for the sap and the insects that become trapped in the sap. The male (below) is more colorful than the female.

Williamson's Sapsucker - Male

Acorn Woodpecker

Beautiful woodpecker with clown-like face. They are commonly seen in the spring, summer and fall. They will visit platform feeders and like to perch on dead trees where the store acorns and nuts.

Downy Woodpecker (female)

Common throughout the year and will visit suet feeders.

Downy Woodpecker (male)

Hairy Woodpecker

Common throughout the year and will visit suet feeders.

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (rare)

Rare visitor to the area, sometimes seen scaling various trees, but never at the feeders.

Lewis's Woodpecker (rare)

A bizarre, beautiful woodpecker that is scarce and localized in the west. Can be seen in Los Alamos during the fall migration in September. It has an oily green back, red face, pink belly, and silver-gray collar.

Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus

30 cm. Flickers are a large brownish woodpecker. The have a black bib and mustache, gray cap, and red nape (females lack the mustache). Their back is brownish with dark bars, and their chest is whitish with black spots. They have yellow under wings. Flickers have a sticky tongue that extends 2 inches beyond their bill. They feed on ants and other ground insects and also, in winter, on berries. They have two toes forward, and two toes back for vertical grip and a stiff tail used as a prop. They are often the first birds to the feeders in the morning. Its voice is a loud repeated flicker or wicka-wicka-wicka. Its preferred habitat is open country with trees; parks and large gardens. They hollow out their nests in dead trees and lay 6-8 eggs. Flickers are important in the woodland community, because they provide cavities for many hole-nesting birds. Feeder attractants are suet, peanut butter, fruits and seeds. Place nesting box over dense shrubbery and fill with sawdust or put a mirror inside opposite the door.