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Platte River Status: An uncommon permanent resident across the study area. Tout (1947) stated that hairy woodpecker was more common along the Platte River and in the city of North Platte than in other areas of Lincoln County.

Breeding Range: An uncommon but widely distributed nesting species in the Platte River Valley and locally on the Eastern Plain. Largely absent from other regions during the nesting season.

Breeding Population: The population was estimated at 1,260 breeding pairs in 1979-1980.

Habitat: We found the highest mean nesting densities in shelterbelts (13.3 pairs/km²), and in lowland forest (0.7 pairs/km²). Faanes and Andrew (1982) found hairy woodpecker most frequently in bur oak forest in northeastern North Dakota. Conner et al. (1975) reported that hairy woodpecker occupied a wide range of forest types from sparse stands with low basal area to mature forest with high basal area. Faanes (1981) also reported that in western Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota this species occupied a wide range of wooded habitats.

Effect of Habitat Alteration: Hairy woodpecker has benefited from establishment of wooded vegetation within the river channel, and also from planting of shelterbelts in the uplands.

Nesting Data: We have records of three nests from the Mormon Island Crane Meadows, Hall County, and two nests from Lincoln County. Two fledglings were banded at Mormon Island on 13 June 1980. Egg dates in Kansas extend from 21 March to 30 May (Johnsgard 1979).