Arizona Woodpecker

Identification

The Arizona Woodpecker is a compact woodpecker measuring 7 to 8 inches in length. It is nearly identical to its close relative, Strickland's Woodpecker, and shares a distinctive plumage pattern of brown and white. The upperparts are warm brown with a darker rump, while the underparts are white with fine brown spotting. White bars pattern the wings, and two prominent white stripes cross the face, joining a white bar on the neck. Males are distinguished by a bright red patch on the nape, which is entirely absent in females. The species is vocal and distinctive, delivering a sharp, squeaky keech call along with a descending rattle of grating notes.

Range & Habitat

The Arizona Woodpecker is native to the mountainous regions of southern Arizona and New Mexico, as well as the Sierra Madre Occidental of western Mexico. Its northernmost populations occur in the Madrean Sky Islands, a fascinating region of higher mountain ranges rising from the Sonoran Desert in southeastern Arizona, extreme southwestern New Mexico, and northern Sonora. This species was long considered a northern subspecies of Strickland's Woodpecker until the American Ornithologists Union officially split the two species, recognizing the Arizona population as distinct.

Behaviour & Diet

Like all woodpeckers, Arizona Woodpeckers are specialized foragers, using their strong bills and stiff tail feathers to cling to tree bark while searching for food. The species feeds on insects and other invertebrates found in bark and wood, employing typical woodpecker foraging techniques of probing and chiseling. Their vocalizations—the sharp keech and rattling calls—serve important functions in territorial advertisement and communication with mates and family groups.

Best Time & Places to See It

The Madrean Sky Islands of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico offer the most reliable opportunities to encounter Arizona Woodpeckers, particularly in the higher elevation mountain forests where this species is resident. These dramatic "islands" of cooler habitat surrounded by desert create unique ecological conditions that support this and many other specialized species. Patient observation in appropriate woodland habitat during daylight hours, listening for distinctive calls, will reward determined birders and naturalists.

Photography Tips

The small size and woodland habitat of Arizona Woodpeckers present challenges for photographers. Use a telephoto lens (at least 400mm) to maintain distance while capturing detail of the bird's distinctive facial markings and male nape patch. Position yourself with backlighting to illuminate the white facial stripes and neck bar. Early morning light in the Madrean Sky Islands will offer the clearest conditions. Patient waiting near calling birds, or slowly working through suitable forest habitat, offers the best chance of close approach.