Gila Woodpecker
Introduction (Video)
Hello Boys and Girls! Lets learn about the Gila Woodpecker today! The Gila Woodpecker is a medium sized woodpecker that lives in the Sonoran Desert! They are tan and brown in color, and their back and wings have a black and white zebra print on them! The male Gila Woodpecker's have red feathers that sit at the top if their head! They tend to create their home and raise their young in saguaro cactus. These woodpeckers mostly eat insects, but they also enjoy eating cactus fruits, mistletoe berries, and other types of seasonal fruits! Lets continue to read and learn more about the Gila Woodpecker! After you have learned about the Gila Woodpecker, please take the quiz and enjoy the fun activity!
Who am I?
I am the Gila Woodpecker! The Sonoran Desert is my permanent home, and I can be found in places such as southeast California, southwest Nevada, southern Arizona, southwest New Mexico and central Mexico. I am very interesting to look at, I enjoy eating insects, even though I am only a medium sized woodpecker, I have been told that I am very noisy when I make sounds!
Where do I live?
I can be found in places with a dry climate such as southeast California, southwest Nevada, southern Arizona, southwest New Mexico and central Mexico. I enjoy making my nest by pecking out a large hole in Saguaro Cactus.
What do I eat?
I mostly eat insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, and ants. I also enjoy eating cactus fruits, mistletoe, and berries!
 How do I look? I am a medium sized woodpecker with a brown and tan colored body. My back and wings have a black and white zebra stripped pattern on it. Being I am an adult male Gila Woodpecker, I have bright red feathers that sit at the top of my head! The female Gila Woodpeckers have the same coloring as me, EXCEPT, they do not have red feathers on their head! When I fly, I have white patches that can be seen under my wings!
How do I reproduce?
The female Gila Woodpeckers usually mate from early April to late May. They lay about 3-5 white eggs during this time. It takes about 12-14 days for the eggs to hatch!
Fun Fact about me!
I have been known to steal dog food from porches if left outside!
FUN ACTIVITY!
 Kindergarteners
1. http://www.akidsheart.com/animals/birds/gwdc.htm Visit this site to print the coloring page of ME!
2. Using your crayons, color me in using ONLY colors to show what I really look like!
3. After you are done coloring me in, cut and paste my picture to a piece of BRIGHT yellow contruction paper!
4. At the bottom of my picture, using your crayon, write two words that best describe me!
1st and 2nd Graders
1. http://www.akidsheart.com/animals/birds/gwdc.htm Visit this site to print the coloring page of ME!
2. Using your crayons, color me in using ONLY colors that show what I really look like!
3. After you are done coloring me in, cut and paste my picture to a piece of BRIGHT yellow contruction paper!
4. At the bottom of my picture, using your crayon, write two sentences explaining why you enjoyed learning about me!
Third Graders
1. http://www.akidsheart.com/animals/birds/gwdc.htm Visit this site to print the coloring page of ME!
2. Using your crayons, color me in using ONLY colors that show what I really look like!
3. After you are done coloring me in, cut and paste my picture to a piece of BRIGHT yellow contruction paper!
4. Lets Play Word Scramble! Unscramble the following words. When you are finished, using your crayon, write the words that you figured out around your colored picture on your construction paper!
1. Gila Woodpeckers, although medium in size, tend to be VERY ____________ when making sounds.
OINSY
2. Gila Woodpeckers make their nest by pecking out a large hole in _________________
SGUARAO TACUCS
3. Only the _______ Gila Woodpeckers have ____________________ at the top of their head!
AMLE
RDE EAFHTRES
Below is a fun quiz that will test what you have learned about the Gila Woodpecker! MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ME CAN BE FOUND BELOW! Bird Friends! WWW.BIRD-FRIENDS.COM Please take a look at the website Bird-Friends! This website offers pictures and information on the Gila Woodpecker, as well as many other different types of birds! WWW.DESERTMUSEUM.ORG Desert Museum is a fun website that has detailed information regarding the Gila Woodpecker, along with many other mysterious creatures of the Sonoran Desert! |