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American Three-toed Woodpecker

Picoides dorsalis
American Three-toed Woodpecker

As opposed to the four toes of most other woodpeckers, these woodpeckers only have three toes on each foot.

Sam Crowe
Updated: March 22, 2023
Birds IDENTIFICATION

The American Three-toed Woodpecker lives up to its name, having only three instead of four toes on each foot. It is also unusual among North American woodpeckers in that it has no red in its plumage. American Three-toed Woodpeckers are broadly distributed within the range of spruce forest, their preferred habitat.

As avid consumers of bark beetles and wood-boring beetles, American Three-toed Woodpeckers help maintain the health of forests. Studies have shown that individual birds may consume thousands of larvae per day.

Description of the American Three-toed Woodpecker

BREEDING MALE

The American Three-toed Woodpecker has black wing coverts, dark brown flight feathers barred with white, a black and white barred back, and white stripes on either side of a black face patch.

Male has a yellow crown patch.

American Three-toed Woodpecker

Photograph © Glenn Bartley

Female

Female lacks yellow crown patch.

Seasonal change in appearance

None.

Juvenile

Similar to adults, but browner.

Habitat

Coniferous forests, especially spruce.

Diet

Insects.

Behavior

Forages on tree trunks by looking under flaking bark.

American Three-toed Woodpecker

Range

American Three-toed Woodpeckers are resident across much of Canada and parts of the western U.S.

Fun Facts

Once considered the only woodpecker to live in both North America and Europe, the American Three-toed Woodpecker has now been split from the European form and is considered a separate species.

The northern range and forest habitats of the American Three-toed Woodpecker make it difficult to survey using standard Breeding Bird Survey routes, so its population is not well measured.

Vocalizations

Not very vocal, the American Three-toed Woodpecker occasionally makes a “pik” call similar to that of the Downy Woodpecker, or a few other rare sounds.

Similar Species

The Black-backed Woodpecker has a black back. No other woodpeckers have yellow crown patches.

Nesting

The American Three-toed Woodpecker’s nest is placed in an excavated cavity of a dead tree.

Number: 4.  Color: White.

Incubation and fledging:
?- Young hatch at about 12-14 days.
– Young fledge (leave the nest) in 22-26 days, but associate with the adults for some time.

Bent Life History of the American Three-toed Woodpecker

About the Author

Sam Crowe
Sam is the founder of Birdzilla.com. He has been birding for over 30 years and has a world list of over 2000 species. He has served as treasurer of the Texas Ornithological Society, Sanctuary Chair of Dallas Audubon, Editor of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's "All About Birds" web site and as a contributing editor for Birding Business magazine. Many of his photographs and videos can be found on the site.

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