Black-Backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus)


Group	Woodpeckers
Code	ABNYF07090
Order	Piciformes
Family	Picidae
Author	(Swainson, 1832)
Rank	G5 (definitions)
Occurrence	P (definitions)
Scale	C (definitions)

County List:


Western UP	all
Eastern UP	all
Northern LP	Antrim, Crawford, Montmorency, Oscoda
Southern LP	none

Rule:

Forested Landscapes

1st alternative:
      (Spruce/Fir (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Hemlock (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Jack Pine (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Upland Conifer (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Pine (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Any Lowland Conifer (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Lowland Conifer (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
   containing:
      (Stand/Gap Openings and Snags and Dead Down Woody Debris)

2nd alternative:
      (Spruce/Fir (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Hemlock (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Jack Pine (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Upland Conifer (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Pine (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Any Lowland Conifer (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Lowland Conifer (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
   containing:
      (Snags and Dead Down Woody Debris)
   adjacent to:
      Bog

3rd alternative:
      Treed Bog
   containing:
      (Snags and Dead Down Woody Debris)

view decision rule term definitions

Habitat List:

Habitats	Regen	Sap	Pole	Sm Saw	Lg Saw	Uneven
Aspen	no	no	no	no	no	-
Paper Birch	no	no	no	no	no	-
Oak	no	no	no	no	no	no
Assorted Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Northern Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Spruce/Fir	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Hemlock	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Jack Pine	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Red Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
White Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Conifer Plantations	no	no	no	no	no	-
Mixed Upland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Northern Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Upland Conifer	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Mixed Pine	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Swamp Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Balsam Poplar & Swamp Aspen & Swamp Birch	no	no	no	no	no	no
Bottomland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tamarack	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Northern White Cedar	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Black Spruce	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Mixed Lowland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Lowland Conifer	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Non-Forested	Bog or Muskeg, Treed Bog
Special Features	Dead Down Woody Debris, Snags, Stand (Gap) Openings

view size class definitions

Literature:

Evers, D. C. 1991. Black-backed Woodpecker. Pages 270-271 In: R. Brewer, G. A. McPeek, and R. J. Adams, Jr. (eds.) The atlas of breeding birds of Michigan. Michigan State University Press, East Lansing. 594 pp.

Habitat: The Black-backed Woodpecker is closely associated with boreal and montane forests. In Michigan, it occupies open and closed black spruce-tamarack bogs. Northern white cedar swamps, mixed forests with eastern hemlock, jack-pine plains, and conifer clearcuts also may be frequented.

Habitat disturbances which provide a mosaic of openings and an abundance of downed and standing dead timber are preferred foraging areas. Insect-infested forest stands, beaver ponds and other floodings with snags, and recently burned habitats are optimal. This species forages on dead and dying timber with ample patches of loose bark, areas generally infested with wood-boring beetle larvae.

Nesting cavities are drilled in dead or live conifers 8-15 feet above ground. Spruce and pine trees are preferred. Most nest sites overlook openings, such as lakes, peatlands, clearcuts, and roads, and bark may be removed from around the cavity entrance, making it relatively easy to see.

DeGraaf, R. M. and D. D. Rudis. 1986. New England wildlife: habitat, natural history, and distribution. GTR NE-108. Broomall, PA:USDA, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 491 pp.

Habitat: Breeding: Coniferous forests, especially where burned or logged where swamp conditions predominate. Favors spruce-fir and larch. Also prefers large tracts of balsam fir killed by spruce-budworm. Wintering: Same as breeding habitat.

Special Habitat Requirements: Dead trees with loose bark for feeding. Trees with a minimum dbh of 12 inches for nesting.

Kaufman, K. 1996. Lives of North American Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 675 pp.

Habitat: Boreal forests of firs and spruces. Favors areas of dead or dying conifers, and may concentrate at burned or flooded areas with many standing dead trees. Also in undamaged forests of pine, Douglas-fir, hemlock, tamarack, and spruce, especially spruce bogs. Frequents lowlands in north, mountains in west.

Diet: Mostly insects. Feeds mainly on the larvae of wood-boring beetles; also eats other insects, spiders, some fruits and nuts. Forages on live trees, snags, and fallen logs.

Nest: Site is in cavity in dead tree or stub, usually conifer such as spruce or pine, sometimes birch or other deciduous tree; occasionally in live tree or utility pole. Usually 2-15 feet above ground, rarely 50 feet or higher.