The Gila Woodpecker is the primary excavator of nest cavities in saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert, creating the holes that are later used by Elf Owls, Purple Martins, and dozens of other species — making it a keystone species of the desert ecosystem. The male has a red cap patch; both sexes have a boldly barred black-and-white back. Its cackling calls are characteristic of desert mornings.
Habitat
Sonoran Desert scrub with saguaro cactus and riparian areas
Diet
Insects, cactus fruit, berries, and lizards
How common
Common
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