The Gila woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) is an eye-catching bird throughout the Sonoran Desert region, including much of Arizona. With its bold black-and-white barring, striking red cap, and loud, lively calls, this woodpecker is a delight to encounter in its native habitats. Let’s take a closer look at this charismatic avian resident of the Grand Canyon State.
Quick Facts
- The Gila woodpecker is about 8-10 inches long with a wingspan of around 16 inches.
- Males have entirely red crowns, while females have a smaller patch of red at the nape of the neck.
- They make a distinctive loud churring call that sounds like “churr churr churr-churr-churr.”
Subspecies Information
- There are two recognized subspecies of Gila woodpecker:
- Melanerpes uropygialis uropygialis – found in Arizona, southeastern California, and northwestern Mexico
- Melanerpes uropygialis brewsteri – occurs in western Mexico
Physical Dimensions
Gila woodpeckers are medium-sized, measuring 8-10 inches in length. They have a wingspan of approximately 16 inches and weigh around 2.1-2.8 ounces.
Identification
Adult Gila woodpeckers are mostly brown-gray above with black-and-white barring on the back, wings, and tail. They have white underparts with black spots on the sides and flanks. The face is grayish-brown with a blackish stripe through the eye. The most prominent field mark is the bright red cap, which covers the entire crown in males but only the rear crown and nape in females.
Local Habitats
In Arizona, Gila woodpeckers can be found in various desert habitats, including Sonoran Desert scrub, mesquite bosques, desert washes, and saguaro cactus stands. They range throughout southern and central Arizona, barely extending into the southeast corner of California.
Natural Habitat
Gila woodpeckers inhabit hot, arid lowlands and foothills characterized by scattered trees, large cacti, and tree-lined washes and canyons. Sonoran Desert vegetation like palo verde, ironwood, mesquite and saguaro cactus provide important nesting and foraging habitat.
What They Eat
These woodpeckers have an omnivorous diet of insects, spiders, centipedes, cactus fruit, mistletoe berries, and nectar from saguaro and agave flowers. They forage for insects on tree trunks and branches and will also catch them on the wing. The fruit, nectar, and insects inside saguaro cacti make up a significant part of their diet.
Migratory Behavior
Gila woodpeckers are year-round residents throughout their range and do not migrate. Individual birds remain in the same area, defending their breeding and foraging territories.
Conservation Status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists Gila woodpeckers as a species of “Least Concern”, with stable population trends. They have been able to adapt to some human development within their range. However, they may be vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation as Sonoran Desert habitats face ongoing pressures from urbanization, agricultural conversion, and climate change.
