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Coraciiformes and Piciformes
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Coraciiformes: Alcedinidae: Kingfishers
Field Marks: Small to medium-sized Short necks and tails Small feet Large heads with long, strong bills Most boldly colored with blues or greens, and orange or red Weak feet with syndactyl toes Sex: Dimorphic Habitat: Forests, scrub, and aquatic habitats Life History: Eat a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate prey Many specialize in catching fish by plunge-diving Defend territories year-round Monogamous for life Some species migrate Among oldest on record: 14 yrs 10 mos Distribution: 95 species in 17 genera worldwide, except polar regions 3 species in 2 genera in North America
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Piciformes: Picidae: Woodpeckers
Field Marks: Medium-sized birds with zygodactyl feet Chisel-shaped bill Vertical posture Rounded wings Characteristic undulating flight pattern Sex: Dimorphic Habitat: Primarily wooded areas Life History: Eat mainly insects, but also fruit, seeds, and sap Typically use bill to drill into wood to find food Most territorial and monogamous Some are migratory Among oldest on record: 16 yrs Distribution: 217 species in 28 genera worldwide 22 species in 5 genera breed in North America (plus Ivory-billed!)
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Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae Field Marks: Stocky, with large head Uniformly blue-gray upperparts, and primarily white underparts Large, ragged, double-pointed crest Nearly complete white collar Blue-gray breast band Sex: Males have a single blue-gray breast band Females have rufous sides and a rufous lower breast band, in addition to the blue-gray breast band Habitat: Streams, rivers, lakes, estuaries Life History: Occurs year-round in CA ©Photo by Ann Cook Female
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Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon
Long, uneven rattle, or a musical, rapid trill: tirrr ©Photo by Ann Cook Female
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White-headed Woodpecker Picoides albolarvatus
Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae Field Marks: Plumage black overall, with white head and wing patch Sex: Males have red cap Habitat: Coniferous forests Life History: Occurs year-round in CA Pine seeds are a critical food source ©Photos by Bob Steele Male
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Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae Field Marks: Large and “crow-sized” Plumage blackish overall Red crest White line from bill across cheek and down neck White patch on upperwing, and white wing lining Sex: Males have red crest extending forward to bill, and red malar stripe Females crest does not reach bill, and no malar stripe Habitat: Old, primarily coniferous forests, with large, dead trees Life History: Occurs year-round in northern CA ©Photo by Female Male
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Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus
Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae Field Marks: Black upperparts with white wing and rump patches Red crown with white forehead and throat Sex: Males have a full red crown that meets the white forehead Females have a partial red crown, with a black patch separating it from the white forehead Habitat: Oak and riparian woodlands Life History: Occurs year-round in CA Store acorns in communal granaries and cooperatively raise young Male ©Photos by Bob Steele Female Male
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Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus
Raucous laughing; a nasal wheka wheka…. or RACK-up RACK-up Also, nasal, trilled ddddrridrr or ddrreeerr Male ©Photos by Bob Steele Female Male
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Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae Field Marks: Upperparts grayish-brown with irregular dark brown bars Buffy underparts with large black spots Crescent-shaped black breast patch White rump Underside of wing and tail reddish (in western subspecies) Sex: Females have plain gray face Males have gray face with red malar stripe Habitat: Riparian and oak woodlands, coniferous forests Life History: Occurs year-round in CA Male ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Female
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Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
High piercing, clear Keer Soft, lilting: wik-a-wik-a-wik-a-……. Long, strong, low-pitched series: kwikwikwik…. Male ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Female
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Red-breasted Sapsucker Sphyrapicus ruber
Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae Field Marks: Red head, nape, and breast White line from bill toward nape Black back with white spots Large white wing patch Yellow abdomen Sex: Monomorphic Habitat: Coniferous forests and riparian woodland Life History: Occurs year-round in northern CA, but winters throughout Drill sap wells through the bark of trees and feed on the sap ©Photo by Peter LaTourrette
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Lewis’s Woodpecker Melanerpes lewis
Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae Field Marks: Greenish-black upperparts with wide gray collar and upper breast Dark red face, and pinkish lower breast and abdomen Sex: Monomorphic Habitat: Riparian and oak woodland Life History: Occurs year-round in CA ©Photo by Steve Messick ©Photo by Peter LaTourrette
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Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens
©Photos by Bob Steele Female Male Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae Field Marks: Small, with primarily black upperparts primarily black White head stripes, spots on wings, and along center of back Underparts whitish Short, stubby bill is shorter than head Sex: Male has red nape patch Habitat: Riparian woodland Life History: Occurs year-round in CA The smallest North American woodpecker Name refers to the “downy” strip of white feathers down the back
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Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens
©Photos by Bob Steele Female Male Slow rattle, beginning slow and squeaky, ending lower, faster varies from kikikikiki… to slow twi twi twi…
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Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus
Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae Field Marks: Small, with primarily black upperparts primarily black White head stripes, spots on wings, and along center of back Underparts whitish Larger, heavier bill is almost same length as head Sex: Male has red nape patch Habitat: Coniferous forests Life History: Occurs year-round in CA Name refers to long, filamentous white feathers down the back Female Male ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette
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Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris
©Photos by Bob Steele Female Male Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae Field Marks: Small, with black and white striped upperparts Underparts whitish with spots and streaks on flanks and undertail Broad black eye line and malar stripes that join at the back Supercilium and auricular region whitish Outer rectrices barred black Sex: Male has red crown that may extend forward of the eye Habitat: Desert scrub and desert riparian woodland Life History: Occurs year-round in southeastern CA
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Nuttall’s Woodpecker Picoides nuttallii
Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae Field Marks: Small, with black and white striped upperparts Upper back entirely black (no striping) Underparts whitish with spots and streaks on flanks and undertail Broad black eye line and malar stripes that join at the back Narrow whitish supercilium and auricular region Outer rectrices spotted black Sex: Male has red crown that does not extend past the eye Habitat: Oak and riparian woodlands Life History: Occurs year-round in CA Range almost entirely within CA ©Photos by Bob Steele Female Male
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Nuttall’s Woodpecker Picoides nuttallii
Sharp, rising, two- or three-note pitik Level and steady rattle call: pitikikik… ©Photos by Bob Steele Female Male
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