Spot Nuttall's Woodpecker (Picoides Nuttallii)

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A small woodpecker with a chisel-shaped bill they have a small rounded head, a flat back, and an elongated appearance, and are black-and-white striped birds. Males have a red patch on the back of their heads and both sexes have 2 narrow white stripes across their cheeks. The back has narrow black-and-white horizontal bars with a solid black patch on the upper back. The underparts are whitish with spotting and barring on the flanks. Juveniles have more grayish or buffy underparts than adults, and juveniles of both sexes have some red on the crown. Diet and behavioral habits: A common, year-round resident, Nuttall's Woodpeckers have increased in numbers in Balboa Park since 1984. They frequent wooded suburban areas and woodlands near streams with cottonwoods, willows, and sycamores. Nuttall's Woodpeckers probe and pick insects out of crevices in tree trunks, branches, and twigs. They feed on a wide variety of insects, especially beetles, also caterpillars, ants, true bugs, but will also eat some nuts, seeds, fruits, berries. Nesting habits: Their nest site is usually a cavity in live or dead tree, usually cottonwood, willow, or sycamore near oak woods, sometimes in utility pole, fence post, or oak or other tree. Cavity usually 3-35' above ground, sometimes up to 60' or higher. Male does most of excavating, and will create a new nest cavity every year. Members of pair may remain more or less together all year.

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