- Scientific Name: Melanerpes uropygialis
- Length: 8 to 10 inches
- Weight: 1.8 to 2.8 ounces
- Wingspan: 15.8 to 16.5 inches
- Habitat: Deserts, Dry forests
- Where Found: North America
- Conservation Status: Least Concern
The Gila woodpecker dwells in the desert regions of North America, particularly in the United States and Mexico.
You can also find it in small towns. In desert regions, it lives in cacti holes and drills into them when looking for food.
The black-and-white patterns on the wings and back of the bird are similar to that of a zebra.
Other parts of the body (the head, belly, throat, and neck) are a greyish tan.
Males and females are slightly different as the male has a red cap on the head that the female doesn’t have.
