Leuconotopicus arizonae
The Arizona Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus arizonae) is a uniquely patterned resident of the southwestern United States and Mexico, distinguished by its striking brown cap—a feature uncommon among its North American relatives. Measuring 19-21 cm (7.5-8.3 in) in length with a wingspan of 33-36 cm (13-14 in), this medium-sized woodpecker presents a sharp contrast of a black back, white underparts heavily barred with black, and a clean white face traversed by a single black malar stripe. Its most di...
Found primarily in open pine-oak woodlands and sycamore-lined canyons, inhabiting mid-elevations ranging from 1,200 to 2,300 meters (4,000-7,500 ft).
Primarily consumes wood-boring insect larvae, particularly those of beetles and ants, extracted from tree bark; occasionally supplements its diet with acorns and wild fruits.
Arizona Woodpeckers are diurnal, spending their days actively foraging. They employ a distinctive foraging strategy, primarily gleaning insects from the bark surfaces of live and dead trees, often working the undersides of large branches and trunks, and occasionally sallying for aerial insects. T...
The Arizona Woodpecker is a non-migratory, resident species found in a relatively restricted range across southwestern North America. Its primary distribution includes the 'sky island' mountain ranges of southeastern Arizona, the Bootheel region of southwestern New Mexico, and extends southward t...
Least Concern
- The Arizona Woodpecker is the only woodpecker in the United States and Canada that has an entirely brown crown, making it easily distinguishable. - Despite its common name, it is also found in a limited range within southwestern New Mexico and extensively through the Sierra Madre Occidental in ...