Medium-sized bird with a black back; thick, pointed bill; long, stout tail; yellow crown on males
Recent burns and open forests with dead and dying trees (snags)
Insects that live beneath the bark of dead and dying trees, especially beetle larvae
Hawks, falcons, owls; marten and squirrels eat young.
This bird forages on dead conifers, chipping away large patches of bark rather than drilling into it, in search of larvae and insects. It moves into burned forests to feed on insects attacking injured trees.
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