Birds › Desert scrub › Gila Woodpecker

Gila Woodpecker

Melanerpes uropygialis

It digs nest holes in saguaro cactus. Old holes become homes for Elf Owls, flycatchers and other birds.

Where to see it for real: Visits hummingbird feeders, orange halves and suet in desert towns.

Spot it in the game

Lives in the Desert scrub habitat (Sonoran Desert, Arizona and Mexico).

Gila Woodpecker, Melanerpes uropygialis — Photo: stevemerkley, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist. Cut out from the original photo.

Gila Woodpecker facts

Family: Woodpeckers
Length: 9.1 in (23 cm)
Wingspan: 16 in (41 cm)
Weight: 2.3 oz (65 g)
Diet: Insects, cactus fruit, berries, seeds and nectar.
Range: The Sonoran Desert of southeastern California, Arizona and western Mexico.
Nest: A hole dug in a saguaro cactus or a tree.
Song: A loud, rolling "churr" and sharp "yip" notes.
Active: by day
Status: Least Concern on the IUCN Red List: widespread and not at risk.

What the Gila Woodpecker sounds like

Recording 1: Joshua V. Addesi, CC BY 4.0, original on iNaturalist. Trimmed and cleaned of low background noise.

Recording 2: Tero Linjama, CC BY 4.0, original on iNaturalist. Trimmed and cleaned of low background noise.

How to attract the Gila Woodpecker

Feeder foods, favorite first: fruit, suet, nectar, peanuts. Feeders that hold them: platform feeder, suet cage, nectar feeder and tube feeder. Keep a bird bath full, too.

In the game: fill a feeder with fruit, suet, nectar and peanuts and keep the bird bath full. It is a common visitor.

More: bird songs and calls, what to feed birds.