ExploreBirds

White-headed Woodpecker

Leuconotopicus albolarvatus

The White-headed Woodpecker is a striking bird with a white head and black body. It loves to peck on trees to find yummy insects and make its home in the forest.

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The White-headed Woodpecker has a striking appearance with an entirely black body contrasting sharply with its pure white head. Males also boast a distinctive red patch on the back of their neck. White wing patches are visible during flight.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderPiciformesFamilyPicidaeGenusLeuconotopicus
White-headed Woodpecker
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White-headed Woodpecker

Category

Birds

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

Be the first to snap!

Interesting facts

These birds prefer to live in tall, fire-scorched pine forests in the mountains.

They often get sticky pine pitch on their white faces from digging into cones for food.

This woodpecker loves pine seeds so much, it hardly pecks for insects like other woodpeckers!

Young White-headed Woodpeckers sport a cool red cap on their heads that disappears with age.

Special abilities

Ability

Pine Seed Seeker

White-headed Woodpecker has a strong, wedge-tipped beak to extract nutritious pine seeds directly from tight cones.

Ability

Tree Climber

White-headed Woodpecker has stiff tail feathers that act like a prop, helping them brace securely against tree trunks while climbing.

Ability

Sticky Tongue

White-headed Woodpecker can extend a long, barbed tongue covered in sticky saliva to snatch hidden insects from bark crevices.

Measurements & details

Length
21-25 cm
Wingspan
43-48 cm
Weight
0.05-0.07 kg
Lifespan
4-9 years
Top Speed
45 km/h
Clutch Size
3-7
Incubation
11-14 days

Diet & Feeding

They munch on tasty pine seeds and dig out hidden insects from tree bark and wood.

Primary Foods

  • Pine seeds
  • Bark beetles
  • Ant pupae
  • Conifer scale insects
  • Sap

Foraging Method

  • Foraging

Ecological connections

depends on

Ponderosa Pine

Pinus ponderosa

for seeds, nesting cavities, and insect prey found in its bark.

hunts

Mountain Pine Beetle

Dendroctonus ponderosae

as a primary food source, extracting them from beneath pine bark.

eaten by

Northern Goshawk

Accipiter gentilis

as a potential avian predator in its forested habitat.

shelters

Northern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys sabrinus

by using abandoned woodpecker cavities for nesting and roosting.

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is White-headed Woodpecker?

21-25 cm

What is White-headed Woodpecker's wingspan?

43-48 cm

How much does White-headed Woodpecker weigh?

0.05-0.07 kg

How long does White-headed Woodpecker live?

4-9 years

How fast can White-headed Woodpecker move?

45 km/h

What does White-headed Woodpecker eat?

They munch on tasty pine seeds and dig out hidden insects from tree bark and wood.

Where is White-headed Woodpecker usually found?

Forests

How does White-headed Woodpecker hunt?

Foraging

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Where to spot

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