Gila woodpecker Melanerpes uropygialis

Identification Tips:

• Length: 8.25 inches
• Medium-sized woodpecker
• Tan head, throat, breast, and belly
• Back strongly barred with black and white
• Black wings barred and spotted with white
• White bases to the primaries appear as white crescent in the hand in flight
• White rump and uppertail coverts with sparse dark barring
• Dark tail with barred central tail feathers

Adult male:

• Small, red cap on top of head

Similar species:

No similar species overlap in range. Red-bellied Woodpecker similar but both sexes have extensive red on the head and nape, and paler underparts. Golden-fronted Woodpecker shows yellow on the head, is paler below and has dark, unmarked, central retricies.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.