# Ladder-Backed Woodpecker (*dryobates scalaris*) The Ladder-Backed Woodpecker is a small, lively bird that loves to peck on trees. Its unique ladder-like markings on the back make it easy to recognize! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Ladder-Backed Woodpeckers live in dry, open woodlands and scrub areas, often near cacti. - **Also known as:** Ladderback Woodpecker, Scaly Woodpecker, Spotted Woodpecker ![Ladder-Backed Woodpecker](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ladder-back_Woodpecker_on_Cactus.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alan D. Wilson, www.naturespicsonline.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ladder-back_Woodpecker_on_Cactus.jpg) ## Appearance The Ladder-Backed Woodpecker has a striking black-and-white striped head and a back patterned like a ladder. Males have a small red cap, while females have an all-black crown. It's smaller than many other woodpeckers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Piciformes - **Family:** Picidae - **Genus:** Dryobates ## Interesting facts - Sometimes they visit backyard feeders for suet, a fatty bird treat! - Their tiny brains are perfectly safe, even after pecking wood 10 times a second! - These tiny woodpeckers often make nests right inside giant saguaro cacti! - They will even nest in fence posts or telephone poles when trees are scarce. ## Special abilities - **Sturdy Skull:** Ladder-Backed Woodpecker has a special skull that absorbs shock, protecting its brain while pecking hard. - **Climbing Claws:** Ladder-Backed Woodpecker can cling vertically to trees and cacti using two forward-facing and two backward-facing toes. - **Sticky Tongue:** Ladder-Backed Woodpecker has a long, barbed tongue that reaches deep into bark to snatch hidden insects. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 16-18 cm - **Wingspan:** 25-30 cm - **Weight:** 0.02-0.04 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-7 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 10-14 days ## Diet & Feeding They mostly eat insects found in bark, but also enjoy seeds and juicy cactus fruit. - **Primary Foods:** Beetle larvae, Ants, Caterpillars, Mesquite beans, Cactus fruit - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Young woodpeckers can be snatched by large birds of prey. - **Eaten by:** [Gopher Snake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gopher-snake) (*Pituophis catenifer*) — These snakes may climb trees to raid woodpecker nests. - **Shelter:** [Saguaro Cactus](https://www.snappit.app/explore/saguaro-cactus) (*Carnegiea gigantea*) — They carve nest cavities into the tall, thick stems of saguaros. - **Eats:** [Golden Buprestid Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-buprestid-beetle) (*Buprestis aurulenta*) — They forage for the larvae of wood-boring beetles under tree bark. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Ladder-Backed Woodpecker? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Ladder-Backed Woodpecker? 16-18 cm ### What is Ladder-Backed Woodpecker's wingspan? 25-30 cm ### How much does Ladder-Backed Woodpecker weigh? 0.02-0.04 kg ### How long does Ladder-Backed Woodpecker live? 5-7 years ### How fast can Ladder-Backed Woodpecker move? 35 km/h ### What does Ladder-Backed Woodpecker eat? They mostly eat insects found in bark, but also enjoy seeds and juicy cactus fruit. ### Where is Ladder-Backed Woodpecker usually found? Ladder-Backed Woodpeckers live in dry, open woodlands and scrub areas, often near cacti. ## Where to spot - [Boyce Thompson Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boyce-thompson-arboretum) — Arizona, US · Botanical Garden - [Mesilla Plaza](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mesilla-plaza) — New Mexico, US · Park - [Old Town Albuquerque](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-town-albuquerque) — New Mexico, US · Neighborhood - [Rio Grande Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rio-grande-botanic-garden-new-mexico) — New Mexico, US · Zoo - [Downtown Deming Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-deming-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [King Ranch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/king-ranch) — Texas, US · Historic Site [View all places to see Ladder-Backed Woodpecker](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/ladder-backed-woodpecker) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Ladder-Backed Woodpecker: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ladder-backed-woodpecker)