H2: Basic Description
The Ladder-backed Woodpecker is a small bird that grows to be about 7 inches in length. It has black and white stripes on its back, with a distinctive ladder-like pattern on its wings. The male has a red patch of feathers on the back of its head, while the female does not. This woodpecker is often found scaling trees and pecking away at bark in search of insects to eat.
H2: Where To Find This Bird
The Ladder-backed Woodpecker can be found throughout much of North America, from Mexico all the way up to southern Canada. They tend to prefer open wooded areas and desert scrub habitats, especially those containing mesquite or other thorny trees.
H2: Habitat
As mentioned above, this species prefers open woodland areas with mesquite or thorny vegetation as their habitat. However, they are also known to inhabit riparian zones in arid regions where water is available year-round.
H2: Food
Their diet consists mainly of insects such as ants, beetles larvae and caterpillars which they find by using their long bills for drilling into tree bark or probing under leaves for prey items.
H2: Cool Facts
One interesting fact about these birds is that they have an elongated tongue made out of bones that extends beyond their beak which helps them capture prey deep within crevices created by insects burrowing inside tree trunks or branches.
Another cool feature is that this species has zygodactyl feet which means two toes point forward while the other two face backward allowing them better grip when climbing vertical surfaces like tree trunks.
Lastly another notable trait? These birds create unique holes in trees called “cavities” where they may nest during breeding season but also serve as a source for shelter during inclement weather conditions! These cavities also serve as homes for many other species including bluebirds, owls and other birds.
