American three-toed woodpecker an elusive sight in NM

The American three-toed woodpecker is 8.75 inches in length, black overall with a white-barred back and white breast with barred flanks. The male has a yellow crown.

This woodpecker’s year-round range stretches as far north as Alaska and south into the mountains of New Mexico. They do not migrate, but may wander widely in search of food.

This uncommon woodpecker prefers mature and old growth spruce and coniferous forests that have suffered damage from bark beetle infestations, wind storms, fires or floods. It is not present in logged areas. What most of us would describe as forest devastation, the three-toed woodpecker sees as suitable habitat to capitalize upon.

Its preferred foods include bark beetle larvae, moths and spiders. It sometimes digs small sap wells in trees and drinks the sap that is produced. Although it usually forages alone, it will pair during the nesting season. This woodpecker chips away at the bark on a dead or dying tree. The falling bark often reveals an abundance of insect populations.

Last winter my sister saw a three-toed woodpecker in the forest near Santa Fe. A few days later I went to the area of the sighting, but did not hear or see this elusive woodpecker.

Damaged forests can also provide suitable nesting sites in the spring and summer nesting season. Like many woodpeckers, the three-toed woodpecker looks for cavities in dead trees to build a nest and raise their young. Both the male and female excavate the cavity. The cavity is about 4 inches across and 4 inches deep.

Most male birds sing to attract a female but the male woodpecker does what is called “drumming,” repetitively banging its beak against a tree or other object trying to attract the attention of a female.

The louder the better.

This species, as well as other bird species dependent upon this unusual habitat for survival, are at risk if forests are not managed with wildlife conservation in mind. The three-toed is sensitive to pesticides used to kill bark beetles. Fire suppression methods that remove burned or damaged trees after a fire can also have a negative impact on this species. Burned or damaged forests provide a unique and complicated ecosystem for birds and other life that depend upon them.

Proper forest management will continue to be a balancing act worth pursuing so hopefully we can all catch a glimpse of this uncommon woodpecker.

Mary Schmauss is the owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Albuquerque. A lifelong birder and author of “For the Birds: A Month-by-Month Guide to Attracting Birds to your Backyard.”