Black-backed Woodpecker

Facts about Black-backed woodpeckers, "Scientific name for Black-backed woodpecker is Picoides arcticus". Black-backed woodpecker is a Picoides type of woodpecker that comes from the Picidae family. Scientific name for Woodpecker "Picidae". Black-backed woodpeckers are birds in the Class of "Aves". There are more than 190 species of woodpeckers worldwide, but none of them are found in polar regions, Madagascar, New Zealand or Australia.

Black-backed woodpeckers are monogamous meaning- the pair will mate for lifetime. Both male and female prepare the nest in the tree for babies and both will help feed them. The female Black-backed woodpecker will lay between 3 and 5 eggs and the incubation period will lasts 11 to 14 days. After one month of hatching, young woodpeckers will leave the nest and venture out on there own.

The Black-backed woodpecker non-migratory woodpeckers are native to the Nearctic Region and North America, and they are also called as the Arctic three-toed woodpecker. The Black-backed woodpeckers are largely found in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. Usually, they live in Montane and Boreal coniferous forests, particularly in regions with burned trees where they are capable of foraging for insect larvae in the coniferous tree trunks. During the non-breeding time, the Black-backed woodpeckers may go to the south areas of the normal breeding range. The Black-backed woodpecker move with a few nomadic individuals or irruptions involving several woodpeckers. Usually, they are found at heights of 2300 feet (750 meters).

The head of the Black-backed woodpecker is shiny black and has a white line extending from the nasal clumps to the nape. The Black-backed woodpeckers are one among the two woodpecker varieties that feature three toes in place of the normal four toes. In company with three-toed woodpecker breeds, these birds contain two toes facing frontwards, but only one toe facing backwards.

Diet

Black-backed woodpecker feed on the insects of burned coniferous forest trees. They are an irruptive variety that flourishes in response to the amplified insect populations after the fire. The Black-backed woodpecker wish to forage by peeling away the bark of the tree with the intention of finding insects and larvae. Their animal foods include insects and earthly non-insect arthropods, whereas their plant foods include bark, wood, or stems, including grains, seeds, fruits and nuts.

The average lifespan of the Black-backed woodpecker ranges from 6 years to 8 years.

Male and female Black-backed woodpeckers are able to drum hollow trees logs execrate. Since Black-backed woodpeckers do not have vocal cords and don't sing, this pecking activity also plays an important role in communicating with each other. Black-backed woodpeckers drumming is also to attract a mate, mark out territory, both sexes are known to drum.

An average Black-backed woodpeckers tongue is up to 4 inches long. The length can be a little different depending on which species of woodpecker. The Black-backed woodpecker tongue wraps around the reinforced skull structured and squashy bone, to even out the impact of the pecking force. Black-backed woodpeckers have barbed tongues that helps them remove bugs from holes and tree bark.
Feathers that look like hairs on the Black-backed woodpecker nostrils, prevent ingestion of wood particles.

When feeding, drumming and building a nest cavity, a Black-backed woodpecker can peck up to 20 times per second, wow that's fast! or a total between 9,000 and 12,000 pecks in a day.

Black-backed woodpeckers have a prominent surge in flight comprise of three rapid wing flaps, followed by a quick glide when the woodpeckers wings are tucked against its body rather than spread out like many other birds.

Woodpeckers are omnivores; meaning - an animal that eats food of both animal and plant and origin.

Black-backed woodpeckers possess a protective ocular mechanisms for protecting its eyes from shaking from the pecking impact. Black-backed woodpeckers show a restricted axial globe movement due to the tight fit within the fascial tissue connections and orbit between the sclera and orbital rim.
The eyes of the Black-backed woodpecker are covered with a nictitating membrane (from Latin nictare, to blink)— a translucent and transparent third eyelid - that protects the woodpeckers eyes from flying debris while pecking.

Features

The Black-backed woodpecker is an average-sized woodpecker, with a body length of 9.1 inches (23 cm) and the wingspan between 5 inches and 5.5 inches (12.7 to 14 cm). They have a body mass that ranges from 2.2 pounds to 3.1 pounds (1 to 1.4 kg).

The Black-backed woodpeckers have a shiny black color back with white colored under parts. The breast, throat and the belly of the bird appear white in color. The white color sides and flanks are enclosed in black color bars and the Black-backed woodpecker tail is typically black in color, where only the external feathers are white in color. The Black-backed woodpecker have a black colored with thin white colored bars on them.