Bill: They have black colored, pointed bills. This makes the cactus to build a solid dry wall around the nest. Color: The head, throat, breast and belly are brown colored with a small red cap on top of its head. The Gila is a species of woodpecker birds found in the Sonoran Desert. The species is often most common in low swales and arroyos, including riparian corridors with cottonwood, willow, and mesquite. It has a white rump. These beautiful woodpeckers have a long and steady drum. Gila woodpeckers nest in saguaro cacti in holes they excavate. This species of Woodpecker is noisy and blazing. They are known to hang on the garden humming-bird feeders and hastily lick the sugary water. Adults weigh 1.8-2.8 oz (51-79 g) and measures 9.4 in (24 cm) from head to tail. Gila Woodpeckers have a knack for thriving in the nearly treeless desert habitats of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico. Its abandoned nesting and roost holes provide shelter for birds, mammals and reptiles. They are even known to hang on human placed hummingbird feeders and sip up the nectar. Gila Woodpecker is classified as “Least Concern” by the IUCN. All guests, including members, must reserve tickets in advance. Once big enough, it can provide a safe and cool place for him and his family to live. Gila Woodpeckers eat mainly insects, but they will also eat cactus fruits, mistletoe berries and other seasonal fruits. ©Copyright 2008, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Gila Woodpeckers live in strictly arid environments, especially deserts and dry forests of the southwestern U.S. and adjacent Mexico, usually below elevations of 3,300 feet. Owls, kestrels and other birds will use a vacated woodpecker hole for their own nest. All rights reserved. These birds tend to bang loudly on metal chimneys and pipes to announce their territories and also to attract mates. They have adapted to human populations by learning to hang onto backyard hummingbird feeders and lick up the sugary water. This woodpecker adjusts readily to humans and is common in desert cities and suburbs. The Gila Woodpecker feeds on beetles, grasshoppers, ants, fruits from saguaro cactus, berries and mistletoe. Though it prefers to build houses in saguaro cacti. However, its favorite place that it … Let us read the behavioral patterns of this bird species. Outside of these areas, different Woodpecker species live in North, Central, and South America, as well as Eurasia and Africa. A desert species, the Gila Woodpecker makes nest holes in Saguaro cactus, riparian trees and buildings. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gila_Woodpecker, http://www.desertmuseumdigitallibrary.org/kids/FunFacts/Gila_Woodpecker.html, https://notes-in-nature.org/2017/06/29/gila-woodpecker/, http://www.birdinginformation.com/birds/woodpeckers/gila-woodpecker/, http://www.avianweb.com/gilawoodpeckers.html, http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-gila-woodpecker.html, Your email address will not be published. They dwell in the same nest for more than one season, if it remains vacant and not captured by other animals or birds. The lower belly is golden yellow and the legs are a dark greenish-brown. Legs: The legs are short with strong toes and sharp claws. During winters these spectacular birds migrate to southern parts of USA. These birds live nearly across the globe, but they are absent from a few areas. Wings have large white patches visible in flight. It prefers solitude to company during the reproduction phase. Quick Facts Woodpeckers will loudly bang on metal chimneys and pipes to declare their territories and to attract mates. The young ones are bare and blind at first but become completely clothed in the feathers before leaving the nest. This woodpecker can be found in southeast California, southwest Nevada, southern Arizona, southwest New Mexico and south into central Mexico.