Birds
White-headed Woodpecker
Dryobates albolarvatus · also called white-headed woodpeckers
Prying seeds directly from a pine cone rather than drilling for insects, a white-headed woodpecker keeps a diet unusually plant-based for the woodpecker family, its stark black body and white head unmistakable against the bark of a western pine forest.
Overview
The white-headed woodpecker, Dryobates albolarvatus, is a pine seed specialist native to forest habitat across parts of western North America. Its striking black-and-white plumage, unusually plant-heavy diet centred on pine seeds, and close dependence on mature pine forest for cone crops make it one of the most dietarily distinctive and habitat-specific woodpeckers found anywhere in North America.
A woodpecker that prefers seeds to insects
Where most woodpeckers build their entire lives around extracting insects from wood, the white-headed woodpecker has shifted toward a diet dominated by pine seeds, tying its fortunes closely to the health of mature pine forest.
Status
Least Concern, though declining in parts of its range due to the loss of mature pine forest through logging.
White-headed Woodpecker: common questions
Why is the white-headed woodpecker's diet unusual?
This species feeds heavily on pine seeds extracted from cones, a diet more plant-based than that of most other woodpeckers, which rely primarily on insects extracted from bark and dead wood.
How can you identify a white-headed woodpecker?
This species has an almost entirely black body contrasted sharply with a white head, a striking and unusual colour pattern that sets it apart from most other woodpeckers.
Why is the white-headed woodpecker vulnerable to logging?
This species is vulnerable to the loss of mature pine forest through logging, since older pine stands produce the larger cone crops it depends on most heavily for its seed-based diet.
Where is the white-headed woodpecker found?
This species is closely tied to pine forest habitat across parts of western North America, rarely found far from the specific pine species it depends on for food.