A review of recent irruptions of the black-backed woodpecker and three-toed woodpecker in eastern North America

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The Black-backed (Picoides arclicus) and Three-toed (P. tridactylus) woodpeckers are sedentary species that irrupt from their usual habitat in boreal coniferous forests. Van Tyne described a 1923-1924 irruption of 56 Black-backed Woodpeckers in the Northeast. West and Spiers recorded 294 Black-backed and 59 Three-toed woodpeckers in an irruption in 1956-1957 covering the northcentral and northeastern states. I have used data from the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada to examine arrival and departure dates and the frequency, magnitude, and coincidence of recent irruptive activity. I placed emphasis on developing the New York irruptive history and compared it to that of the surrounding states and provinces. Some of these results were compared with data from earlier irruptions. Using New York data I examined length of stay, sex ratio, and food tree preferences of these irrupting individuals.

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Reference Code: A85YUN01IDUS

Full Citation: Yunick, R. P. 1985. A review of recent irruptions of the black-backed woodpecker and three-toed woodpecker in eastern North America. Journal of Field Ornithology 56(2): 138-152.

Location: ANIMAL EF: BIRDS