Birds
Gila Woodpecker
Melanerpes uropygialis · also called Gila woodpeckers
Carving a cavity into the towering trunk of a saguaro cactus, a Gila woodpecker builds far more than its own nest, since the hardened chamber it leaves behind will likely shelter an elf owl or another desert species for years after it moves on.
Overview
The Gila woodpecker, Melanerpes uropygialis, is a desert-adapted woodpecker native to desert habitat across the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Its unique habit of nesting directly inside saguaro cacti, the hardened “boot” cavities it leaves behind for other wildlife, and close ecological tie to the Sonoran Desert make it one of the most important habitat engineers found anywhere in the American desert.
Building homes for the whole desert
The Gila woodpecker’s saguaro cavities do far more than house its own young, since the hardened chambers it excavates go on to shelter elf owls and other desert species that would otherwise have nowhere safe to nest.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and stable across suitable desert habitat throughout the Sonoran Desert region.
Gila Woodpecker: common questions
Why does the Gila woodpecker nest in cacti?
This species excavates nest cavities directly into the trunks and arms of giant saguaro cacti, one of the few reliable nesting options available in true desert habitat where large trees are scarce.
What happens to the Gila woodpecker's old nest cavities?
This species' abandoned cavities are later used by elf owls and several other desert animals unable to excavate cavities of their own, since the excavation wounds heal into hardened, callused chambers known as boots that remain usable for years.
How can you identify a Gila woodpecker?
This species has a finely barred black-and-white pattern across the back, with males showing a small red patch on the crown, a fairly typical woodpecker appearance suited to its desert lifestyle.
Where is the Gila woodpecker found?
This species is restricted mainly to the Sonoran Desert and nearby arid regions across the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, closely tied to the presence of large saguaro cacti.