Birds of Texas

Ladder-Backed Woodpecker 

(Picoides scalaris)

(Click on picture to enlarge) 

© 2005 Walter Bauer - San Antonio, Texas 

Field Marks: A little black and white woodpecker; noisy and conspicuous as it works dead limbs and trunks of trees and shrubs.  Often seen on much smaller limbs than other woodpeckers.  This one was in a neighbors oak tree just across our fence line pecking away this April (2003) and again in March (2005).

Voice: Call is a sharp peek, similar to Hairy Woodpecker's but higher.  Also a descending, rattling whinny.

Where found: Resident from se. California east to w. Oklahoma and south through Mexico.

Texas: Resident in w. two-thirds from Panhandle to Brownsville; east to Denton, Dallas, Waco, Mexia, College Station (occasional), and cent. coast.

Habitat: Canyons, deserts, arid brush land, prairies.

Nest: In excavated hole in tree, post, yucca, or agave.  Eggs are white (4-5).