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Class Aves
Order Piciformes
Family Picidae

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Colaptes auratus—Northern Flicker // Dryocopus pileatus—Pileated Woodpecker // Melanerpes formicivorus—Acorn Woodpecker // Melanerpes lewis—Lewis's Woodpecker // Picoides sp.—Picoides Woodpeckers // Picoides villosus—Hairy Woodpecker // Sphyrapicus sp.—Sapsuckers

Picidae—Woodpeckers

Although woodpeckers are traditionally thought of as birds that drill into wood in search of wood-boring larvae, the flickers spend much time on the ground feeding on ants, the Acorn Woodpecker gathers and stores large numbers of acorns, and Lewis' Woodpecker will take insects in flight. The sapsuckers get some of their sustenance from sap, though much of the diet is from insects, many of which are attracted to the sap flowing from the drilling activity of the bird.

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Colaptes sp.—FlickersPleistocene regional distribution of Colaptes sp.

Sites.

Rancholabrean: Cool Water Coal Gasification Solid Waste Site (Jefferson 1991a).

Mid/Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Jimenez Cave (Messing 1986).

Literature. Jefferson 1991a; Messing 1986.

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Colaptes auratus (Linnaeus 1758)—Northern FlickerPleistocene regional distribution of Colaptes auratus

Colaptes auratus. National Park Service photograph by Will ElderSynonyms. Colaptes cafer.

Formerly, western and eastern forms were considered separate species and were mostly geographically isolated from one another. However, with suitable habitat added with European colonization of the Great Plains, the eastern form spread westward. On meeting the western populations, interbreeding became so extensive as to persuade taxonomists that the two form a single species.

Fig. 1. Northern Flicker. National Park Service photograph by Will Elder.

Flickers are rather large woodpeckers that frequently land on the ground to harvest ants. Although widespread throughout the continent, the relatively large number of records from the Pleistocene is somewhat surprising. Possibly the ground-feeding habit makes them more vulnerable to predation than is the case for other woodpeckers

Sites.

Wisconsin: Carpinteria (Guthrie 2009).

Early/Early-Mid Wisconsin: Rm Vanishing Floor (Harris 1993c: cf.).

Mid Wisconsin: McKittrick (Jefferson 1991a); Pendejo Cave (Harris 2003); U-Bar Cave (Harris 1987).

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Diamond Valley (Springer et al. 2009); Hampton Court (Harris 1993c; Rancho La Brea (Stock and Harris 1992).

Mid Wisconsin-Holocene: Shelter Cave (Howard and Miller 1933).

Late Wisconsin: Balcony Room (UTEP); Marmot Cave (Brasso and Emslie 2006); Skull Cave (Emslie 1988); Pendejo Cave (Harris 2003); Sandia Cave (Brasso and Emslie 2006); TT II (Harris 1993c).

Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Burnet Cave (Wetmore 1932: Colaptes sp.); Conkling Cavern (Howard and Miller 1933); Deadman Cave (Mead et al. 1984); Schuiling Cave (Jefferson 1991a; Stalag 17 (Harris 1993c).

Literature. Brasso and Emslie 2006; Emslie 1988; Guthrie 2009; Harris 1987, 1993c, 2003; Howard and Miller 1933; Jefferson 1991a; Mead et al. 1984; Stock and Harris 1992; Wetmore 1932.

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Dryocopus pileatus (Linnaeus, 1758)—Pileated WoodpeckerPleistocene regional distribution of Dryocopus pileatus

Sites.

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Rancho La Brea (Stock and Harris 1992).

Literature. Stock and Harris 1992.

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Melanerpes formicivorus (Swainson 1827)—Acorn WoodpeckerPleistocene regional distribution of Melanerpes formicivorus

Melanerpes formicivorus. US Fish & Wildlife Service photo by Gary KramerAcorn Woodpeckers generally store oak mast in holes prepared for the acorns. Distribution is concentrated in forested mountains where a variety of species of oak and pine overlap. Much of eastern Arizona and western New Mexico is inhabited as is much of the US west coast and inland.

Fig. 1. Acorn Woodpecker. Photograph by Gary Kramer, US Fish & Wildlife Service.

Sites.

Wisconsin: Carpinteria (Guthrie 2009).

Mid Wisconsin-Holocene: Shelter Cave (Howard and Miller 1933).

Literature. Guthrie 2009; Howard and Miller 1933; Ligon 1961.


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Melanerpes lewis (Gray 1849)—Lewis's WoodpeckerPleistocene regional distribution of Melanerpes lewis

Melanerpes lewis. US Fish & Wildlife Service photo by Dave MenkeLewis's Woodpecker has been recorded throughout our region, generally in the high mountain forests in summer and moving southward and to lower elevations in winter. The diet is varied, with wood-boring larvae, insects caught on the wing, and high-energy plant material such as acorns and berries.

Fig. 1. Lewis Woodpecker. US Fish & Wildlife Service photograph by Dave Menke.

Sites.

Wisconsin: Carpinteria (Guthrie 2009).

Mid Wisconsin: Pendejo Cave (UTEP: May be Late Wisconsin).

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Rancho La Brea (Stock and Harris 1992).

Literature. Guthrie 2009; Harris 2003; Stock and Harris 1992.

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Picoides sp.—Picoides WoodpeckersPleistocene regional distribution of Picoides sp.

A rather large number of woodpeckers belong to this genus.

Sites.

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Rancho La Brea (Stock and Harris 1992).

Literature. Stock and Harris 1992.

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Picoides villosus—Hairy WoodpeckerPleistocene regional distribution of Picoides villosus

Sites.

Wisconsin: Carpinteria (Guthrie 2009).

Literature. Guthrie 2009.

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Sphyrapicus sp.—SapsuckersPleistocene regional distribution of Sphyrapicus sp.

Sites.

Wisconsin: Carpinteria (Guthrie 2009).

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Rancho La Brea (Stock and Harris 1992).

Literature. Guthrie 2009; Stock and Harris 1992.

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Last Update: 20 May 2014