Part 18

Bill long or of moderate length, straight, stout, angulate, tapering, compressed toward the tip, which is generally wedge-shaped and abrupt; mandibles nearly equal, outline of the upper slightly convex, the ridge narrow, sides sloping, with a lateral ridge, edges straight; lower with the angle short and narrow, the dorsal line nearly straight, the ridge narrow, the sides with a faint ridge. Nostrils basal, elliptical or oblong, concealed by reversed bristly feathers. Head of moderate size, oblong; neck of moderate length; body stout. Legs short; tarsus short, moderately stout, anteriorly scutellate, scaly behind; toes usually four, first short, rudimentary, or sometimes wanting, fourth very long and reversed, equalling or exceeding the third. Claws large, strong, much curved, much compressed, very acute. Plumage soft, blended, rather compact on the back; wings of moderate length or long; with the first quill very small, the third, fourth, and fifth longest. Tail of moderate length, much rounded or cuneate, of twelve feathers, of which the lateral are extremely small, and placed above the next, the rest, but especially the three middle pairs, with the shafts exceedingly large and strong, the webs narrowed toward the end, with their filaments deflected and stiff, the tip pointed or emarginate from being worn. Tongue slender, with the tip horny and furnished with reversed prickles or bristles, capable of being protruded to a great length by the elongation of the hyoid bones, which curve over the head to between the right eye and nostril, or even extend round a great part of that eye. Œsophagus of uniform width; proventriculus extremely large; stomach of moderate size, or rather small, broadly elliptical or roundish, moderately muscular; epithelium thin, dense, and longitudinally rugous; intestine of moderate length, rather wide; no cœca; cloaca very large, globular, or elliptical. Trachea simple, with a single pair of inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest a cavity dug in a tree; eggs from four to six, elliptical, white.

The groups present characters which are so undecided, and exhibit such gradual approximations, that I think it better here to consider all our Woodpeckers as of one genus.

GENUS I. PICUS, Linn. WOODPECKER.

Character as above.

* Bill straight, with the angles prominent.

256. 1. Picus imperialis, Gould. Imperial Woodpecker.

Not figured.

Glossy greenish-black; the elongated occipital crest scarlet; a triangular spot on the fore part of the back; the secondary quills, and the inner webs of most of the primaries, white; bill yellowish-white. Female similar, but without red on the head. Gould.

_Male_, 24, wing 12.

Rocky Mountains and North California.

Picus imperialis, Gould. Proceed. of Com. Sc. and Corresp. of Zool. Soc. of Lond. part ii. p. 140.

Imperial Woodpecker, Picus Imperialis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 313.

257. 2. Picus principalis, Linn. Ivory-billed Woodpecker.

Plate LXVI. Male and Female.

Toes very long, fourth longer than third. An occipital crest of elongated linear feathers; general colour glossy black, with blue reflections on the upper, green on the lower parts; crest rich carmine; bristly feathers covering the nostrils, and a short band at the base of the upper mandible, a band on each side of the neck, from the cheek to the end of the scapulars, secondary quills, their bases excepted, and terminal portion of four inner secondaries, with the axillars and lower wing-coverts, white; bill yellowish-white. Female similar, but with the crest black, and the lateral tail-feathers, with two patches of white at the tip.

_Male_, 21, 30. _Female_, 19-1/2, wing 10.

Common in Texas, Louisiana, and along the Mississippi, to the Ohio. Rare on the latter, to Henderson. From Florida to North Carolina. Resident.

Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Picus principalis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 20.

Picus principalis, Bonap. Syn. p. 44.

Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Picus principalis, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 564.

Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Picus principalis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 341; v. v. p. 525.

258. 3. Picus pileatus, Linn. Pileated Woodpecker.--Log-cock.

Plate XIII. Male and Female.

Fourth toe longer, considerably shorter than third; an occipital crest of elongated linear feathers; general colour black glossed with blue, upper part of head, and a band from the lower mandible, deep carmine; loral space and a broad band from the eye to the occiput, greyish-black; a narrow band from the eye margining the red of the crest, a band from the base of the upper mandible, down to the side of the neck, the throat, axillars, lower wing-coverts, and bases of the quills, white. Female similar, with the fore part of the head dusky, and the red on the cheek substituted by blackish-brown.

_Male_, 18, 28.

From Texas to the Columbia River, and along the Atlantic coast, as well as in the interior, to the Fur Countries. More abundant in the south. Resident everywhere.

Pileated Woodpecker, Picus pileatus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 27.

Picus pileatus, Bonap. Syn. p. 44.

Picus (Dryotomus) pileatus, Pileated Woodpecker, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 304.

Pileated Woodpecker or Log-cock, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 567.

Pileated Woodpecker, Picus pileatus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 74; v. v. p. 533.

259. 4. Picus lineatus, Linn. Lineated Woodpecker.

Not figured.

Third and fourth toes about equal, hind toe very small; an occipital crest of elongated near feathers; upper part of the head carmine, inclining to scarlet; a narrow dusky line from the nostril to the eye; a patch, including the eyelids and ear-coverts, leaden-grey; a narrow band down the hind part of the neck, gradually enlarging, the back, wings, and tail, deep black; a band from the nostrils descending obliquely over the side of the head, passing backwards and behind the ear, then much enlarged, and running down the side of the neck to the shoulders, a large oblique patch at the commencement of the wing, including the outer scapulars, the small feathers on the edge of the wing under the alula, the lower wing-coverts, and the inner webs of the quills for about half the length, pure white; an elongated crimson patch at the base of the lower jaw; chin yellowish-white, longitudinally streaked with dusky; the rest of the fore neck and part of the breast black; the lower parts and sides brownish-white, transversely barred with black.

_Male_, 15, wing, 7-2/12.

Columbia River.

Picus lineatus, Linn. Syst. Nat v. i. p. 174.

Lineated Woodpecker, Picus lineatus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 315.

260. 5. Picus Canadensis, Gmel. Canadian Woodpecker.

Plate CCCCXVII. Fig. 7. Male.

Fourth toe considerably longer than third; fourth quill longest, fifth longer than second; bristly feathers over the nostrils dull yellow; upper part of head and hind neck glossy black; over the eye a band of white, continuous with a transverse band of scarlet on the occiput, usually interrupted in the middle; a black band from near the bill to the eye, continued behind it over the auriculars, and joining the back of the hind neck; beneath this a white band from the angle of the mouth, curving backwards below the middle of the neck, so as to meet the other behind; then a narrow band of black from the base of the lower mandible and continuous with the black of the shoulders; upper part of the body, wings, and tail, black, feathers along the middle of the back tipped with white; wing-coverts, the anterior excepted, and quills spotted with the same, there being on the four longest primaries seven spots on the outer, and five on the inner webs, on most of the secondaries five on each web, but on the outer quill only one patch on each web, and on the second three spots on the outer, and four on the inner web; four middle tail-feathers glossy black, the rest black towards the base, that colour gradually diminishing, so that the outermost is almost entirely white; lower parts white.

Extremely similar to Picus villosus, but always much larger.

_Male_, 10-1/2, 17-3/4.

From the northern parts of New York to the Fur Countries. Common. Migratory in winter to New York.

Picus canadensis, Gmel. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 437.

Picus (Dendrocopus) villosus, Hairy Woodpecker, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 305.

Canadian Woodpecker, Picus canadensis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 188.

261. 6. Picus Phillipsii, Aud. Phillips's Woodpecker.

Plate CCCCXVII. Figs. 5, 6. Male.

Fourth toe a little longer than third; fourth quill longest; bristly feathers over the nostrils yellowish-white; fore part of the head, to a little beyond the top, orange-yellow; occiput and hind neck glossy black; over the eye a band of white passing to behind the auriculars; a black band from above the angle of the mouth to the eye, and behind it, including the auriculars; below this a white band from the angle of the mouth joining that over the eye; then a narrower black band from the lower mandible; upper parts black, tinged with brown behind; feathers along the middle of the back tipped with white; some of the wing-coverts also tipped with white, and the quills spotted with the same, there being on the four largest primaries seven spots on the outer, and five on the inner web; the four middle tail-feathers glossy black, the rest black at the base, that colour gradually diminishing, so that the outermost is entirely white; lower parts white.

_Male_, 10-1/2; wing, 5.

Massachusetts. Very rare.

Phillips's Woodpecker, Picus Phillipsii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 186.

262. 7. Picus Martinæ, Aud. Maria's Woodpecker.

Plate CCCCXVII. Fig. 1. Male. Fig. 2. Female.

Fourth toe slightly longer than third; fourth quill longest, third longer than fifth; tufts of bristly feathers over the nostrils dull yellow; upper part of head scarlet; forehead and occiput black; a band of white over the eye; a black band from the bill to the eye, continued behind it over the auriculars, and joining the black of the hind neck; beneath this a band of white from the angle of the mouth, curving backwards below the middle of the neck, so as almost to meet its fellow behind; then a band of black from the base of the lower mandible, and continuous with the black of the shoulders; upper parts black; feathers along the middle of the back tipped with white; wing-coverts and quills spotted with the same, there being on the four longest primaries seven spots on the outer, and four on the inner web, on most of the secondaries five on each web, but on the outer quill only one patch on each web, and on the second four spots on the outer, and three on the inner web; four middle tail-feathers glossy black, the next black on the inner web, and on the greater part of the outer toward the base, the rest black only at the base, the two outer being almost entirely white; lower parts white, tinged with grey, and a little red, the sides faintly mottled with dusky grey.

_Male_, 9-2/12; wing, 4-((10-1/2)/12).

A pair found at Toronto, Upper Canada.

Maria's Woodpecker, Picus Martinæ, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 181.

263. 8. Picus Harrisii, Aud. Harris's Woodpecker.

Plate CCCCXVII. Fig. 8. Male. Fig. 9. Female.

Fourth toe considerably longer than third; fourth quill longest, fifth longer than second; bristly feathers over the nostrils dull yellow, with the tips black; upper part of the head and hind neck glossy black; over the eye a band of white, continuous with a transverse scarlet band on the occiput; a black band in the loral space continued behind the eye over the auriculars, and joining the black of the hind neck; beneath is a band of white, from the angle of the mouth, curving backward below the middle of the neck, but without meeting the other; then a band of black from the base of the lower mandible, and continuous with the black of the hind neck and shoulders; upper parts black, the quills tinged with brown; feather along the middle of the back largely tipped with white; quills, excepting the inner three, marked with small roundish spots, of which there are five on the outer and four on the inner web of the four longest quills, while on the outer there is only an elongated spot on the inner web, and on the next one spot on the outer and three on the inner; four middle tail-feathers black, the next black, with a small part of the inner web, and a large portion of the outer toward the end, white; the rest white, with the base black; the outermost small feathers almost entirely white; lower parts brownish-white. Female wants the red occipital band. This species is distinguishable from all the other spotted species, by having no white spots on the wing-coverts.

_Male_, 9; wing, 5-2/12.

Columbia River. Rare.

Harris's Woodpecker, Picus Harrisii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 191.

264. 9. Picus villosus, Linn. Hairy Woodpecker.

Plate CCCCXVI. Fig. 1. Male. Fig. 2. Female.

Bill as long as the head; fourth toe considerably longer than third; fourth and fifth quills longest and equal; bristly feathers over the nostrils dull yellow, tipped with black; upper part of head and hind neck glossy black; over the eye a band of white, continuous with a transverse band of scarlet on the occiput, usually divided in the middle; a black band from the bill to the eye, continued behind it over the auriculars, and joining the black of the hind neck; beneath this, a band of white from the angle of the mouth, curving backwards below the middle of the neck, so as to meet its fellow behind; then a black band from the base of the lower mandible; upper parts black, tinged with brown behind; feathers along the middle of the back, tipped with white; wing-coverts, the anterior excepted, and quills spotted with white, there being on the four longest primaries seven on the outer and five on the inner web, on most of the secondaries five on each web, but on the outer quill only one patch on each web, and on the second, two spots on the outer and three on the inner; four middle tail-feathers glossy black, the rest black only towards the base; lower parts white, tinged with dull green on the fore neck and breast, the sides with blackish-grey. Female without red on the head.

_Male_, 8-3/4, 14-1/2. _Female_, 8-1/2, 15.

Breeds from Texas to New Hampshire, Kentucky, and Valley of the Mississippi. Common. Resident.

Hairy Woodpecker, Picus villosus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 150.

Picus villosus, Bonap. Syn. p. 46.

Hairy Woodpecker, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 575.

Hairy Woodpecker, Picus villosus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 164.

265. 10. Picus pubescens, Linn. Downy Woodpecker.

Plate CXII. Male and Female.

Bill much shorter than the head, slender; fourth toe considerably longer than third; fourth quill longest; upper bristles over the nostrils yellowish, tipped with black; upper part of the head glossy black; a band of white over the eye ending in a scarlet occipital band; then a band of black from the eye to the hind neck, succeeded by one of white from the angle of the mouth, curving so as nearly to meet its fellow on the hind neck, and a black band from the lower mandible down the side of the neck. Upper parts black; feathers along the middle of the back tipped with white; coverts and quills spotted with white, there being six spots on the outer, and five on the inner webs of the four longest primaries, the outermost quill with one patch of white on the inner web, and the next with four spots on each web; outer small tail-feathers white, with a single black spot, next two white, with two terminal black bands, the rest variegated, except the two middle, which are black. Female without red.

_Male_, 6-3/4, 12.

Breeds from Texas to Labrador, and northward to Lat. 58°. Common throughout the interior to the eastern bases of the Rocky Mountains. In every district, a constant resident.

Downy Woodpecker, Picus pubescens, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 153.

Picus pubescens, Bonap. Syn. p. 46.

Picus (Dendrocopus) pubescens, Downy Woodpecker, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 307.

Downy Woodpecker, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 576.

Downy Woodpecker, Picus pubescens, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 81; v. v. p. 539.

266. 11. Picus Gairdnerii, Aud. Gairdner's Woodpecker.

Not figured.

Bill shorter than the head, slender; fourth toe considerably longer than third, fifth quill longest; black above, with a scarlet occipital band, brownish-white beneath; spotted with white, and in all respects as to colour like the last species, only the spots on the wings are much smaller, and the patch of red brocade; the toes and bill larger.

Length, 6-8/12; wing, 3-10/12.

Columbia River.

Gairdner's Woodpecker, Picus Gairdnerii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 317.

267. 12. Picus querulus, Wils. Red-cockaded Woodpecker.

Plate CCCLXXXIX.

Upper part of the head, hind neck, and a band on each side of the neck, glossy black; a large patch on the side of the head and neck white; back black, barred with white; wings brownish-black, spotted with white, there being eight spots on the outer, and six on the inner webs of the longest quills; middle tail-feathers black, outer four on each side white, with black bars; lower parts white, sides of the neck and body with oblong black spots. Male with a small carmine line behind the eye.

_Male_, 8-1/2, 14-1/2. _Female_, 7-3/8, 13-1/4.

From Texas to New Jersey, along the Atlantic districts. Common. In the interior to Lower Mississippi. Resident.

Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Picus querulus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 103.

Picus querulus, Bonap. Syn. p. 46.

Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 577.

Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Picus querulus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 12.

268. 13. Picus Auduboni, Trudeau. Audubon's Woodpecker.

Plate CCCCXVII. Adult.

Bill about the length of the head, with the outlines considerably arched, the tips acute, and not laterally worn; upper parts black, lower white, with a tinge of brown, the sides very faintly barred with dusky; tufts covering the nostrils white; on the anterior part of the top of the head some feathers largely tipped with yellow; a band of white over the eye; loral space and a broad band behind the eye black; feathers along the middle of the back tipped with white; wings spotted with white; six spots on the outer, and four on the inner webs of the longer primaries; four middle tail-feathers black, the next with the tip obliquely white, that colour enlarging on the rest, so as to include almost the whole of the outer feathers.

_Adult_, 7, 13-1/2.

Louisiana.

Picus Auduboni, Audubon's Woodpecker, Trudeau, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philadelphia, v. vii. p. 404.

Audubon's Woodpecker, Picus Auduboni, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 194.

269. 14. Picus ruber. Gmel. Red-breasted Woodpecker.

Plate CCCCXVI. Fig. 9. Male. Fig. 10. Female.

Head, neck, and fore part of breast, deep carmine; upper parts black, variegated with white, lower pale yellow, with the sides undulated with dusky; middle tail-feathers with the inner web white, obliquely banded with black.

_Male_, 8, 14. _Female_, 8; wing, 5-2/12.

Upper California. Columbia River. Nootka. Common. Migratory.

Red-breasted Woodpecker, Picus ruber, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 179.

270. 15. Picus varius, Linn. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker.

Male with the crown of the head and throat bright carmine; a semicircular patch of black on the lower fore neck, and a semilunar band on the occiput; upper parts bluish-black, variegated with white and yellow, lower yellow, with the sides undulated with dusky; middle tail-feathers with the inner web white, obliquely banded with black. Female similar, but with the throat white, and the yellow of the lower parts less pure. Young without red on the head or throat, the former dusky, streaked with faint brown, the latter greyish-white, the upper parts as in the adult, but duller, the tail variegated with white, the lower parts dull yellowish-grey, undulated with dusky, the abdomen dull yellowish.

_Male_, 8-1/2, 15.

Breeds from Maryland northward to the Saskatchewan. Rather rare in the interior in summer. Many spend the winter in the Southern and Western Districts.

Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, Picus varius, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 147.

Picus varius, Bonap. Syn. p. 45.

Picus (Dendrocopus) varius, Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 309.

Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 574.

Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, Picus varius. Aud. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 519; v. v. p. 537.

** Hind toe wanting. Genus _Apternus_ of authors.

271. 16. Picus arcticus, Swains. Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker.

Plate CXXXII. Male and Female.

Three-toed, with the upper parts glossy bluish-black, the lower white, the sides and lower wing-coverts transversely barred with black; tufts of bristly feathers black; crown of the head saffron-yellow; a white line from behind the eye, a band of the same from the base of the upper mandible to beneath the ear-coverts, succeeded by a black band; inner webs of all the quills and outer webs of the primaries spotted with white, there being seven spots on the outer, and five on the inner webs of the three longest; four middle tail-feathers black, the next with an oblique band of white, the rest black only at the base, except the outermost, of which nearly all the inner web is of that colour. Female without yellow on the head.

_Male_, 10-1/2, 16.

From the northern parts of New York to the Fur Countries, as well as along the eastern declivities of the Rocky Mountains. Rather common. Partially migratory.

Picus tridactylus, Bonap. Syn. p. 46.

Northern Three-toed Woodpecker, Picus tridactylus, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 14.

Picus (apternus) arcticus, Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 313.

Northern Three-toed Woodpecker, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 578.

Three-toed Woodpecker, Picus tridactylus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 198.

272. 17. Picus hirsutus, Vieill. Banded Three-toed Woodpecker.

Plate CCCCXVII. Fig. 3. Male. Fig. 4. Female.

Three-toed, with the upper parts deep glossy-black, the head with blue reflections, the back and wings tinged with brown; tufts over nostrils dull yellow; anterior part of head pale yellow, spotted with white; a band of white, with small dusky lines, from the angle of the mouth to the occiput; the back transversely banded with white; inner webs of all the quills and outer webs of the primaries spotted with white, there being seven spots on the outer, and five on the inner, webs of the three longest quills; four middle tail-feathers black, the next white at the end, the rest white, unless at the base, but the outermost banded with black. Female with the head black, streaked with white.

_Male_, 9; wing, 4-5/12.

From Lake Superior to the Arctic Sea. Abundant. Resident.

Picus hirsutus, Vieill. Ois. de l'Amer. v. ii. p. 124.

Picus (Apternus) tridactylus, Common Three-toed Woodpecker, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 311.

Common Three-toed Woodpecker, Picus hirsutus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 184.

*** Bill straight, with the angles obsolete, and the upper outline somewhat arched.

273. 18. Picus Carolinus, Linn. Red-bellied Woodpecker.

Plate CCCCXV. Fig. 3. Male. Fig. 4. Female.

Male with the upper part of the head and hind neck bright carmine; the back and scapulars transversely banded with black and white; the rump and tail-coverts with the white predominating; primaries black, with a band of white; tail black, with the inner webs of the middle, and both webs of the outer barred with white; lower parts yellowish-white, abdomen red; lower wing and tail-coverts white, spotted with dusky. Female similar, but with the top of the head ash-grey and with less red on the abdomen.

_Male_, 7-3/4, 15-3/4. _Female_, 8, 14-1/2.