Birds
File:Picoides arcticusAAP060A.jpg

Black-backed Woodpecker

Black-backed Woodpecker

100
1 week ago
Not yet spotted on Fladder
Spotted
The Black-backed Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker of boreal forests, distinctive for its solid black back and bright yellow cap in males. It specializes in feeding on wood-boring beetle larvae in recently dead conifers.
Where to spot
Inhabits boreal and montane coniferous forests across Canada and Alaska, extending south into the western and northeastern United States. Prefers areas impacted by recent fires or insect outbreaks.
How to spot
Search for it in recently burned forests or areas with extensive beetle-killed trees. Look for its unique solid black back. Listen for its soft, deliberate drumming and sharp 'pik' calls, often heard in quiet, remote forests.
When to spot
Resident year-round in its habitat. Active during daylight hours. Can be particularly visible in winter against snow-covered trees or in standing dead timber.
File:Picoides arcticusAAP060A.jpg
File:Picoides arcticus -Brunswick, Vermont, USA -male-8.jpg
File:Picoides arcticus FM1.jpg
File:Picoides arcticus FM2.jpg
File:Picoides arcticus FM3.jpg
File:Picoides arcticus FM4.jpg
File:Picoides arcticusAAP060A.jpg
Credits: Wikimedia Commons
File:Picoides arcticus -Brunswick, Vermont, USA -male-8.jpg
Credits: Wikimedia Commons
File:Picoides arcticus FM1.jpg
Credits: Wikimedia Commons
File:Picoides arcticus FM2.jpg
Credits: Wikimedia Commons
File:Picoides arcticus FM3.jpg
Credits: Wikimedia Commons
File:Picoides arcticus FM4.jpg
Credits: Wikimedia Commons
This woodpecker is a 'fire-follower,' often moving into recently burned forests to exploit the abundant beetle larvae that thrive in dead or dying trees after a wildfire.
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Spotted

Recently spotted
605 (Seen in the last 3 months)
Last spotted
1 week ago

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