gila woodpecker male 13 low res

 gila woodpecker in flight4 low res

 gila woodpecker in flight9 low res

One of my favorite birds in Tucson is the Gila Woodpecker, although I've heard that some dislike them because they are so noisy. They squark loudly and often rap on something metal to declare their territory or show off to females. This woodpecker is with us all year round and is only found where there are many saguaro cacti as it makes it nest in the cactus.

Both male and female take part in excavating the nest. The male is the one with a red cap. They usually excavate one year and then use the nest the next year, as drying time is required for the inner pulp of the cactus to form a solid casing around the cavity.

The holes they excavate are later used as nesting sites by other birds, particularly elf owls.

Their diet consists of insects, fruit, nectar from flowers, seeds, occasional birds’ eggs, and lizards. You may see them drinking sugar-water from your hummingbird feeders. They have even been known to steal dog food from backyard porches.

About 28% of Gila woodpeckers live in Southern Arizona, the rest live in cactus forests in Mexico.

The oldest recorded Gila Woodpecker was a male in Arizona, who was at least seven years and nine months old.

These photographs were taken in the Catalina Foothills. While walking my dog, I noticed the woodpeckers returning to the same saguaro. Early the next morning, for best lighting, I returned and sat near the same saguaro and waited patiently. The woodpecker couple came back, and once they got used to me being there, I was able to get a series of photographs of these beautiful birds.