Welcome to Colleen’s Corner. This is a column meant for fun and some information About myself: I am a Freelance Photographer you often see me on the side of the road or in various places taking photos of different things animals, birds, places, people etc. l have lived in Lumby just over 8 years you have seen my photos in the newspaper (Lumby Valley Times) and once in awhile in the Vernon Morning Star, and the Lumby Art Gallery. Photography is my passion. Disclaimer: The information on some of my photos that I write about a lot of times come from the Internet or books I research them, hopefully the facts are as close to the truth as I can come.
The Gila Woodpecker is a bird that is about medium size. This woodpecker was named after the Gila River in Arizona which is actually pronounced “Heela” Living in the southwestern desert regions in the USA, and Mexico. Their favourite places to eat,and nest is in saguaro cactus trees and shrubs. Once both mates finish excavating in the cactus they have to wait a couple of months until it’s dry inside before building their nests. Inside the cactus it is safe and cool, great for raising their young. The Gila may lay 3-4 eggs between early April and late May. Both male and female will incubate the eggs for approximately 12-14 days. When hatched both of the parents will feed the babies.
As like most woodpeckers, the Gila has very strong neck and head muscles which helps when they are pecking into harder surfaces like trees and cactus. You can hear them banging on metal chimneys and also pipes very loudly, they will do this to attract a mate. Their beaks are long and pointed, they have a sticky tongue that has a tip like a bristle. Their size is about 8-10 inches long, weighing about 3.5 oz.
When the Gila has left its nesting site other birds like Owls, Kestrels, and some other birds will take over and use the holes for their own nests.
The Gila Woodpecker will eat insects, berries, cactus fruit, and vertebrates, lizards, eggs, worms, baby chicks from other birds, if there is a hummingbird feeder nearby you sometimes see them hanging off the bottom of the feeder snacking on the sugar water they also will steal dog food left in the bowls outside.
Both male and female have the same markings except the males have a red cap on the top of their head. The face is a soft brown, their backs look like a zebra with the black and white stripes. When they are flying you can see a patch of white patches.
Like most birds they have their predators, Bobcat, Coyote, Hawk, domestic Cats, Snake, and Fox.
These birds mate for life.
The Gila Woodpecker can have a 10 year life expectancy in captivity, but less in nature. The longest recorded Gila Woodpecker in the wild was a male about 7 years and 9 months old.
One of the biggest threats to the Gila Woodpecker is the developments taking place in the desert, and the change of climate which results in a loss of their habitat.
