Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-06-04
For the Freeman.
WOOdpeckers.
No. 2.
q. II, PERKINS

The largest species of woodpecker that
we have (and it is the largest in North
America, with exception OF the ivory
billed woodpecker Of The southern states)
is what is commonly called the plleated
woodpecher, hylolomus pileatuS. The adult
BIRDS are about eighteen inches long The
gen, raI color Is IL somewhat duh black, with
white along the sides of the neck and the
head bears 1t crest of bright scarlet. There
Is also white on the undcrside of the
wings. The wings are very short, while
tue toes are very long. The species is
found all over the United States, but
seems to he everywhere rare. From the
statements of the older writers | should
judge that it was quite common fifty wears
ago, and that then it was often seen near
villages and about farm buildings. 1t is
no" very shy and found only in dense
forests. Audubon thought tn It it preferred
sWamps To other localities for nesting and
that II chose most frequently the south
side OF tree in which 10 make the nest
which is Clipped out like that of Other
woodpeckers. 1t feeds upon insects OF
NUS, us acorns and beech nuts, berries
and the like. 1t would appear to be true
that this species digs into trees for its food
less than some of the smaller species
perhaps because so large a bird would find
1t almost impossible TO get food enough tc
satisfy Its wants in that manner. Ii de.
YOURS mainly such insects as it can fine
between the bark and wood of decayet
trees Wilson's account of this mode OF
obtaining its food is so clear that will
quote 1t: lmost every old trunk in tho
forest where he resides bears the marks O.
his chisel. Wherever he perceives II tree
beginning to decay he examines it rount
and round with great skill and dexteritv
strips off the bark in sheets five or sly
feet in length, to get ut the hidden cause O
the disease, and labors with IL gaietv ant
activity really surprising. | have seer
MN separate the greatest part of the bari
from II large dead pine tree, for twenty OF
thirty iee', in less than u quarter of Al
hour. Whether engaged in hyine
from tree to tree, in digging, climbing
OF barking he seems lerpelually in ;
hurry. lie is extremely hard TO kin
clinging close to the tree even after he ha,
received his mortal wound.n All observ
ers agree us to the courage and endurance,
OF this bra and then when only sliubll,
'O'h'NN ~ tCc ptluItll. III u IBlJgl
10 iDr. Brewer, Mr.. G. S. Paine of Ran
dolph mentions this last characteristic
After speaking of its rarity and shyness
he says that he never shot but one. Thi
he wounded in the wing So that it fell te
the ground, hut very soon it began tt
climb tree and almost escaped, but beinc
caught it fought so lierccly that Mr.. Paine
received Il severe wound in one band, the
bird meantime setting up a cry something
like that of frightened hen This Dir,
is not at all gregarious in its habits, even
where most and abundant, very rarely
more than two or three are seen together
Another woodpecker, which is per.
haps even more rare in Vermont, Is
the black-backed woodpecker, Picotdes
ArctscuS. 1t is found only in large forests
and rarely except in winter, as in summer
it usually migrates northwnrd and is found
IN extreme northern regions. Sometimes,
however, few pairs will remain in some
portions of New England and building
IN IL nests remain throughout the year.
1t is glossy black above aud white below,
with patch of yellow on the top of the
head, i'll the males, and there are numer-
Gus black bands on the sides. 1t is a
small bird, nine or ten inches long. 1t
! differs from the other woodpeckers which