Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris), Hereford, Cochise County

This Ladder-backed Woodpecker was found and photographed by Robert Weissler on 11 November 2015

Though normally birds with abnormal beaks are not posted this is such an unusual case that an exception was made. Robert writes "The subject bird, a female Ladder-backed Woodpecker, possesses an unusually long bill, nearly twice the normal length. Although the bill looks deformed, the bird appears to get along ok. There also was a male with a similar bill, but I have not been able to get a photo of that bird."

11 November 2015, photo by Robert Weissler

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