Kritter Korner

Linda Bolon

Have you ever wondered what type of bird is responsible for that loud screeching call? What bird is making that loud banging noise on your metal gutters or pipes?

You are experiencing the wonders of the Gila Woodpecker. The loud banging or pecking on metal is to declare their territories and to attract mates.

Although the males have a red cap of feathers on the top of their head, both male and female woodpeckers have a brown face, black and white zebra striped backs and white patches visible during flight.

Their strong head and neck muscles enable them to withstand the shock of pecking into trees and other materials. Within their long pointed beak is a long sticky tongue with a bristle-like tip. It is with those tongues that they are able to drink sugary-water from backyard hummingbird feeders. Gila Woodpeckers eat mainly insects but will eat cactus fruits, berries, lizards, other bird eggs and various fruits.

They love to nest in the cavities of saguaro cactus by excavating the cactus with their long, sturdy beak. The cactus needs time to dry out so they may not occupy the cavity for several months. This excavated cavity is a safe, cool place for the woodpeckers to raise their young. During April to late May they may lay two to seven white eggs. This cavity is called a “boot.”

Predators of the Gila Woodpecker can include bobcats, coyotes, hawks, housecats, snakes and fox. Their habitat is a permanent part of the Sonoran Desert. They are found in southern Arizona, southwest New Mexico, southeast California, southwest Nevada and south into central Mexico.

In captivity Gila Woodpeckers can live as long as 10 years, much less in the wild. The adult woodpecker weighs about 3.5 oz. (68 gm) and is 8 to 10 inches long (20 to 25 cm). Their numbers are threatened by human development.