Winter.—This woodpecker is a permanent resident in southern Arizona, moving down from the higher parts of the mountains to the lower levels in winter. Mr. Swarth (1904) says that “in the winter they seem to more particularly favor the large groves of live-oaks along the foot-hills and at the mouths of the canyons; scattering over the mountains and ascending to rather a higher elevation upon the advent of the breeding season.” W. E. D. Scott (1886) writes: “Rarely have I met with more than two in company, and a family, two parents and three young, were the most I ever saw associated together. But I frequently met in the fall a party composed of Arizona jays, California woodpeckers, various Titmice and Warblers, and a pair of Strickland’s [Arizona] woodpeckers. The birds I have met with them appear late in January or early in February, and are apparently already mated.”
DISTRIBUTION
Range.—Southwestern New Mexico, southeastern Arizona, and western Mexico; nonmigratory.
The Arizona woodpecker is found north to southeastern Arizona (Canada del Oro and the Whetstone Mountains); and southwestern New Mexico (probably the Animas Mountains and the San Luis Mountains). East to southwestern New Mexico (San Luis Mountains); Chihuahua (Cajon Bonito, Colonia Garcia, Temosachic, and Apache); Durango (Metalotes and Arroyo del Buey); and Zacatecas (Sierra de Valparaiso). South to Zacatecas (Sierra de Valparaiso) and Jalisco (Nevada Volcanoe, Colima Volcanoe, Tonila, and San Marcos.) West to Jalisco (San Marcos and Bolanos); eastern Sinaloa (Sierra de Choix); central Sonora (La Chumata mine and Saric); and southeastern Arizona (Huachuca Mountains, Santa Rita Mountains; Rincon Mountains Pantano, and Canada del Oro).
The range as outlined is for the entire species, which has been divided into two geographic races, the true Arizona woodpecker (D. a. arizonae), occupying the northern part of the area south to northwestern Durango, and the Colima woodpecker (D. a. fraterculus), occupying the rest of the range in Mexico.
Egg dates.—Arizona: 8 records, April 20 to May 16.
DRYOBATES ALBOLARVATUS ALBOLARVATUS (Cassin)
NORTHERN WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER
HABITS