Nevertheless there are distinct differences between species, and with practice most drumming sounds can be recognized with a high level of confidence. Both birds have white eyebrow stripes that reach out to the back of the head. Hairy’s love larvae of wood-boring and bark beetles, ants, and moth pupae in their cocoons. Gila woodpecker. Hairies also have a sharp rattle that stays at one pitch, unlike the downy woodpecker’s call. Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers have nearly identical vocalizations for most calls. The Downy Woodpecker's pik call is a rapid string of high-pitched notes that descends in pitch toward the end. But since they aren’t the same bird, how do we actually tell them apart? They aren’t even in the same Genus. The rattling call of the hairy woodpecker is mostly on the same pitch. A few years ago I was alerted to a subtle difference in the head patterns of Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers when I read a short note by Mark Szantyr with a nod to Julian Hough in the journal The Connecticut Warbler.He pointed out that Downy Woodpecker has a … Of all the species of woodpeckers, no two are so widespread yet so challenging to identify as downy woodpeckers and hairy woodpeckers. These checkered black and white birds have a white stripe down their backs and boldly stripes faces. This is sometimes referred to as a “comma” marking or a “backpack strap”. This is the easiest … In the east this is the most familiar member of the family, readily entering towns and city parks, coming to backyard bird feeders. With practice and patience, you will soon be able to clearly identify your downy and hairy woodpeckers. Learn more about us here. An example of two species that fall into this category are the downy vs hairy woodpecker. Hairy woodpecker. Hairy’s squeeze in 25 drums per second, which doesn’t seem like much of a difference, but is very noticeable. Their bellies are all white (or buffy, depending on the region.) It’s easy to tell when you hear a woodpecker, harder to tell which species. Similarly for males with the red patch, male Hairy’s often have a black dividing stripe in the center of the red patch while Downy’s is solid red. This explains their prevalence in burned forests as the beetles become numerous here. Downy Woodpecker They excavate smaller, round cavities. For some Hairy’s this is not very noticeable, but it is obvious on many of them and can be a good indicator. Downy’s voices are higher and softer and dip down in tone at the end. The Hairy Woodpecker spur is on the left. Gilded flicker. Instead of song, most woodpeckers use a mechanical drumming sound as their audio advertising display. The Hairy Woodpecker, is the oversized version of the Downy Woodpecker, measuring about 7-10”. Annotations notify when the other bird sounds. Hairy Woodpecker They are timid, solitary, and likely to fly away when disturbed. It’s a plausible reason why looking alike would benefit the Downy. If size is difficult to judge, the Hairy's bill is larger and more robust. A simple  reference is to compare them to the sizes of a robin (Hairy) and a house sparrow (Downy). Don’t get discouraged, though, as these are some of the most difficult species to tell apart, even by experts! Arizona woodpecker. Woodpeckers are not always frequent backyard guests unless you are fortunate enough to live in a forested area or an area with a great deal of mature landscaping. These birds are excellent at pest control with their mostly insectivorous diets. The outer white tail feathers have black barring/spotting on Downy woodpeckers, while Hairy’s are pure white with no markings. A white belly and white stripe down the back stand out against their black and white checkered wings. They will flock in large numbers when beetle infestations occur. Their range extends into the majority of Canada and into Alaska. Some birds look so similar in the wild, it’s hard to notice their small, obscure differences. They feed on corn earworms, tent caterpillars, bark beetles, and apple borers. Melissa Mayntz has been a birder and wild bird enthusiast for 30+ years. Downy’s produce 17 drums per second, each lasting roughly 0.8-1.5 seconds. Year round residents in most of the U.S. except for a bulk of Texas, Southern California, and a few splotches in the west. This mirror image of the two is likely the product of convergent evolution which causes unrelated species to look alike. This article will give you pointers of what to look and listen for when faced with an ID opportunity, as well as a little bit of life history about each bird. She has over 16 years experience writing about wild birds for magazines and websites. They also love insects, particularly wood-boring beetles, bark … If you click a link on our site then make a purchase we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Whether you call it a spur, a comma, or a plumage peninsula, the Hairy Woodpecker usually shows this strong field mark. Both Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers can be attracted with, 17 Woodpecker Species of North America (Pictures), 7 Woodpeckers in Massachusetts (With Pictures). Just like the Downy Woodpecker, the males have the red patch on the back of their heads, while the females do not. Kelly Colgan Azar. An example of two species that fall into this category are the downy vs hairy woodpecker. More subtle clues include the Hairy’s all-white outer tail feathers, compared to the Downy’s spotted ones. These birds like mature deciduous woodlands and coniferous forests with decent sized trees. Another features of note is if you look at the tail feathers on the downy in the bottom picture. Calls. Hairy’s are louder, more shrill and keep the same pitch. Hairy Woodpecker They have larger, more oval-shaped cavities. Length: 5.5 – 6.7 in  Weight: 0.7 – 1.0 oz  Wingspan: 9.8 – 11.8 in. They also spend time in more suburban areas, including parks, gardens, and orchards. As with the Downy, the Hairy was recorded by Mark Catesby in the same book. Outer tail feathers have black barring. Downy’s are found year-round in most of the U.S., aside from the Southwest desert areas. They have a striped face and long bills, with the males having a characteristic red patch on the back of the head. This little woodpecker was first recorded in Mark Catesby’s The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands which was published in 1729-1732. When you see one of these woodpeckers, focus on the bird’s size, bill length, and behavior as the easiest and most definitive identification characteristics. The Downy Woodpecker typically does not show much of a spur. Acorn woodpecker. Voice : Birding by ear can be a challenge for any birder, but learning to distinguish similar species by their calls can help with tricky identifications. When they do appear, however, these birds can be challenging to identify not only because of the similarities between downy and hairy species but also because they’re unfamiliar. Perhaps! The hairy woodpecker has a more attention-grabbing call: a sharp, arresting peek!, like the sound of a squeaky dog toy. Other woodpeckers, sapsuckers and flickers. Downy’s are found in open deciduous woodlands and along brushy or weedy edges. If you click a link then make a purchase, we may get a small get commission at no cost to you. A Hairy’s bill is about the same length as its head, whereas a Downy’s is not even half the length of its head. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. They are long, and thread-like. 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