Woodpeckers
Dryobates scalaris
The Ladder-backed Woodpecker is a small, active bird of arid regions, easily identified by the prominent black and white barring on its back, which gives it its common name. Adapted to life in thorny desert vegetation, this species can be surprisingly subtle despite its bold pattern. They are permanent residents throughout their extensive range.
Typical adult measurements.
Individuals and populations vary.
01 / The telltale details
Start with shape and behavior. Then look for the smaller details.
The back and wings feature a clear black and white barred pattern, resembling a ladder.
A buffy white face is marked with black lines extending from the bill and eye, joining at the neck.
Adult males have a red crown patch that extends from the eye to the back of the head.
Adult females have a blackish crown, while immatures have a smaller red crown patch than adult males.
02 / A place in the world
This woodpecker thrives in dry, brushy areas, including deserts, desert scrub, thorn forests, and open woodlands. They can also be found in pinyon pine and pinyon-juniper woodlands, and often utilize dead wood and cacti for nesting.
The Ladder-backed Woodpecker is a permanent resident across the southwestern United States, extending north to parts of southern Nevada and southeastern Colorado, and south through most of Mexico into Central America as far as Nicaragua.
Ladder-backed Woodpeckers are non-migratory, remaining year-round residents throughout their geographic distribution. Pairs often stay together throughout the year.
03 / Listen a little closer
Calls include a sharp 'pik' note and a descending, rapid rattling series. They also drum on resonant surfaces like dead branches and cactus stems.
04 / The life behind the feathers
Their primary diet consists of insects, including wood-boring beetles and their larvae, caterpillars, ants, and other adult insects. They also consume fruits, berries, seeds, and cactus fruit, especially when insects are less available.
These woodpeckers forage by hitching along branches, pecking at bark, and gleaning insects from foliage, branches, and cactus stems. They rarely dig deeply into wood and do not typically cache food.
Nests are excavated cavities in dead trees, stumps, fence posts, or large cacti like saguaros, Joshua trees, agaves, and yuccas. Both sexes contribute to excavation, though the male may do most of the work. The female typically lays 2-7 white eggs, which both parents incubate.
Ladder-backed Woodpeckers are often observed individually or in pairs, though small flocks may form after the breeding season. They exhibit displays such as crest raising, head bobbing, and wing or tail spreading, particularly for territorial defense.
One more reason to pay attention
The Ladder-backed Woodpecker was once commonly known as the 'Cactus Woodpecker' due to its preference for arid habitats.
Males often do most of the work in excavating nesting cavities.
This species occasionally hybridizes with the closely related Nuttall's Woodpecker where their ranges overlap in California.
05 / An eye for the difference
AI-assisted species research. Prepared October 2026. Details can vary across regions and populations.
