Reflections of the Natural World

SIERRA NEVADA BIRDS – FEATHERS IN THE RANGE OF LIGHT Blog Post #12

California’s “Range of Light” is home to a diverse array of both colorful and cryptic birds (the feathers). It is my intent to use my passion for birds and photography to paint a story about 120 of the most common or most sought-after Sierra Nevada (Range of Light) birds by most nature enthusiasts.

Sierra Nevada Birds – Feathers in the Range of Light is a Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain

WHAT’S IN A NAME

Hairy Woodpecker – Picoides villosus
Name Roots: (L. picus, “a woodpecker”; oides, “resembling” – villosus, “hairy”)

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The Hairy Woodpecker has underparts white to grayish white; upperparts black with bold white stripe down center of back; wings black, variably spotted with white; and tail black with pure white outer rectrices.

Sexes alike except males have a red band extending across back of head.

DISTRIBUTION & OCCURRENCE IN THE SIERRA NEVADA

The Hairy Woodpecker is a Fairly Common Year-Round Resident of the Sierra Nevada preferring to live in the Lower and Upper Montane biotic zones with mature forests where there are snags and trees of moderate to large size.

CONSERVATION STATUS – IUCN Red List Category

The Hairy Woodpecker is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Redlist Classification Justification: This species has an extremely large range, the population trend appears to be increasing, and the population size is extremely large. For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. (DataZone HAWO Link)

PLAYING WITH PHOTOSHOP – Dry Brush Filter