Nuttall's Woodpecker
Dryobates nuttallii
While they spend most of their time in oaks, they rarely nest in them, preferring to excavate holes in softer wood like willow or cottonwood.
- Scientific name
- Dryobates nuttallii
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Piciformes › Picidae › Dryobates
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Oak woodlands and riparian corridors, specifically those dominated by California live oak and blue oak.
- Diet
- Primarily insectivorous, targeting wood-boring beetle larvae, ants, and caterpillars; also consumes sap, acorns, and berries.
- Range
- California, Baja California
- Size
- 16-18 cm long with a 33 cm wingspan
- Lifespan
- 6-10 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation due to urban sprawl and the removal of dead wood (snags) necessary for nesting.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and shy. Maintain a respectful distance of at least 15 feet to observe foraging without causing the bird to flush. They pose no threat to humans.
Nuttall's woodpecker ( Dryobates nuttallii ) is a species of woodpecker named after naturalist Thomas Nuttall in 1843. They are found in oak woodlands of California and are similar to the ladder-backed woodpecker in both genetics and appearance.
Photo: Mike Baird, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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