Tag Archives: downy woodpecker

Backyard Birding, Out There with the Expert

How to tell the difference between a Hairy Woodpecker and a Downy Woodpecker

By Sally Siko

Check out these little guys, a Hairy Woodpecker and a Downy Woodpecker 
I spotted both species while birding here in central North Carolina.
At first glance, Hairy Woodpeckers (pic 1) look nearly identical to a Downy (pic 2) yet are a few differences that can help you figure out what you’re looking at.

Hairy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker



The first big clue is size.
Hairy Woodpeckers are around 9 inches long and weigh 3x as much as the Downy making them noticeably larger in size when comparing the two.


The second clue is that the Hairy Woodpeckers bill is as long as it’s slightly elongated head vs. the Downy who’s got a comparatively shorter bill size paired with a rounder head.


The third clue is habitat.
 Although the range and habitat preferences of the Hairy Woodpecker generally overlap that of the Downy, the Hairy is a slightly shyer bird which spends more of it’s time in the deep woods vs. our backyards. That being said, they may be enticed to visit your feeders if you offer up suet during the winter months.



Measuring a diminutive 6 inches in size, Downy Woodpeckers (pic 2) are North America’s smallest species of Woodpecker.
These feisty little ones are found throughout most of North America with a range that stretches all the way from Alaska down to Florida.
 It lives in a variety of habitats from deep wilderness hardwood forests to suburban backyards and city parks.
 Here in the Tarheel State, Downys are also a familiar year round visitor to our bird feeders which is why they occasionally may be mistaken for their larger cousin, the Hairy Woodpecker.



Whichever of these sweet little black and white feathered gems may be, it’s always a treat for me to see them racing up and down the tree trunks in search of a meal.
Aren’t they gorgeous?

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

A Downy Woodpecker at the Prairie Ridge Ecostation

While birding at the Prairie Ridge Ecostation in Raleigh, North Carolina last week, I spotted this Downy Woodpecker snacking on a Praying Mantis’s egg case.
The tiny guy paid no attention to me and was intent on extracting every last bit of insect larvae out of it’s case.
It was neat to watch him at work at such close range!



Measuring in at about 5.7 inches in length, these little dynamos are the smallest species of Woodpecker found in the United States.
They are among our most widespread species of Woodpecker too with a range that extends from southern Alaska, across Canada as well as throughout most of the rest of the United States from California to south Florida.


Here in North Carolina, Downys are a familiar year round resident in all 100 of our counties. You’re just as likely to see them foraging for a meal in our hardwood forests and brush fields as you are to catch a look at one dining on suet on your backyard feeders.
Keep an eye out for them the next time you go out 🙂

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame @canonusa
#5Ds

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Hairy Woodpecker or Downy Woodpecker ID

Check out these little guys, a Downy & Hairy Woodpecker!
I spotted both species recently here in North Carolina. The Downy at Yates Mill Park & the Hairy at the Pocosin Lakes NWR.

Measuring a diminutive 6 inches in size, Downy Woodpeckers (pictures 1&2) are North America’s smallest species of Woodpecker.


These feisty little ones are found throughout most of North America with a range that stretches all the way from Alaska down to Florida.
It lives in a variety of habitats from deep wilderness hardwood forests to suburban backyards and city parks.
Here in the Tarheel State, Downys are also a familiar year round visitor to our bird feeders where they occasionally may be mistaken for their larger cousin, the Hairy Woodpecker.

At first glance, Hairy Woodpeckers (pictures 3&4) look nearly identical to the Downys, yet are a few differences that can help you figure out what you’re looking at.


The first big clue is size.
Hairy Woodpeckers are around 9 inches long and weigh 3x as much as the Downy making them noticeably larger in size when comparing the two.
The second clue is that the Hairy Woodpeckers bill is as long as it’s slightly elongated head vs. the Downy who’s got a comparatively shorter bill size paired with a rounder head.
The third clue is habitat.
Although the range and habitat preferences of the Hairy Woodpecker generally overlap that of the Downy, the Hairy is a slightly shyer bird which spends more of it’s time in the deep woods vs. our backyards.
That being said, they may be enticed to visit your feeders if you offer up suet during the winter months.

Whichever of these sweet little black and white feathered gems may be, it’s always a treat for me to see them racing up and down the tree trunks in search of a meal.
Aren’t they gorgeous?!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame @canonusa
#5Ds

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Yates Mill Park birding: Downy woodpecker encounter

By: Sally Siko- Admin Birdwatching NC

While walking though the woods at Yates Mill Park in Raleigh N.C. last week, I happened to catch a glimpse of a female Downy Woodpecker foraging for food in the leaf litter.


I was surprised to see her rummaging about on the ground as I usually spot these energetic little birds winding their ways up and down tree trunks or hanging (upside down of course, lol!) from limbs.
She pecked away at the base of a tree searching for food for about 5 minutes before making her way up the trunk in the usual fashion.



North America’s smallest Woodpecker primarily feed on insects found in the trees. They are known to consume several pest species such as tent caterpillars, fall webworms, bark beetles, and even the invasive emerald ash borer.
Their diet also consists of plant material such as berries, acorns, and grains.
If you’d like to get a good look at a Downy Woodpecker for yourself, fill your feeder with black oil sunflower seeds and offer a suet cage.
Enjoy the show!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds

Come birding with me! I’ve got a few tours scheduled for Yates Mill Park in 2020. Check out the link below for trip details and available dates.

https://birdwatchingnc.com/birdwatching-n-c-trips-birding-in-north-carolina/birding-at-yates-mill-park-trips/
Birdwatching News, Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A Downy Woodpecker at Yates Mill Park, Raleigh NC

Oh wow am I stoked! I finally captured a photo of a Downy Woodpecker right-side up while on my CBC a few weeks ago at Yates Mill Park in Raleigh, N.C.


Haha, every other picture I’ve ever got with one of America’s smallest Woodpeckers shows one hanging upside down or partially hidden by the tree trunk or branches!
Am so pleased to get a lovely shot after all this time 🙂

Ya know, there is a certain advantage to being so small. Downy Woodpeckers are able to hunt for food where larger woodpeckers can’t, including on the thin branches in the upper canopy’s of trees. They are acrobatic little climbers, (as proved by every photo I’ve ever taken of them ) they can even cling upside-down like a Nuthatch or Brown Creeper.

Being opportunistic little birds, they’ll follow the Pileated Woodpeckers through the forest, taking advantage of the larger bird’s excavations and will devour any insects the Pileated might overlook.
During the cooler months, Downy Woodpeckers can be found traveling with mixed-species flocks of chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches, thereby maximizing opportunities for an easy meal.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds