Traits: Medium-sized bird with a black back; thick, pointed bill; long, stout tail; yellow crown on males

Habitat: Recent burns and open forests with dead and dying trees (snags)

Foods: Insects that live beneath the bark of dead and dying trees, especially beetle larvae

Eaten by: Hawks, falcons, owls; marten and squirrels eat young.

Do You Know? 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.