Look for the Nuttall’s Woodpecker in California

What Does a Nuttall’s Woodpecker Look Like?

Courtesy Bob Turner

A Nuttall’s woodpecker measures approximately 7.5 inches long with a 13-inch wingspan. Females lack the red cap, which is positioned on the crown, toward the back of the head. The white belly is speckled with dark spots. Also look for white horizontal stripes across the back.

These birds closely resemble ladder-backed woodpeckers, which have a larger range across the southwestern United States and into Mexico.

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Range and Habitat

These birds are almost exclusively found in oak woodlands throughout California and in the northern part of the Baja peninsula. Rarely a few birds stray into Oregon.

“In late February, I was at Huntington Beach Park enjoying the beauty of the cherry blossoms when I spotted this beautiful male Nuttalll’s woodpecker (above) in the cherry tree. I quickly grabbed my Canon 90D camera with my 18-200 mm lens and took this colorful photo,” says Linda Mccann.

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Diet

You might have a tough time attracting these birds to your feeders; you have the best chance if you offer suet. They eat a variety of insects that they pluck from trees, including beetles and ants, as well as berries.

And although they are commonly associated with oak trees, Nuttall’s woodpeckers eat only a small number of acorns. The species is named for British botanist and naturalist Thomas Nuttall, not a nut-eating diet.

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Nesting Habits

Courtesy Ramouna Minnooeifar

Like their relatives, Nuttall’s woodpeckers are cavity nesters. The male excavates a hole in a live or dead tree, and the female lays three to four white colored eggs that hatch in approximately two weeks. Both parents share the work of feeding and caring for the fledglings, which stay in the nest for about a month.

“My mother has plenty of oak trees in her yard. This male Nuttall’s woodpecker (above) was trying to make a safe nest for himself and his mate. I watched the woodpecker pair for days and took a lot of photos,” says Ramouna Minooeifar of Gold River, California.

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Call and Sounds

Listen for a sharp pitik sound or a rattling call. You will likely hear the call before you locate the bird.

Next, learn how to identify acorn woodpeckers.