#Downy woodpecker vs hairy woodpecker Patch

Lastly, it’s important to note that the Downy Woodpecker is much more abundant than its Hairy counterpart, especially in suburbia.

#Downy woodpecker vs hairy woodpecker Patch

Also, the male Hairy’s red patch is often split in two, while the Downy’s is not. More subtle clues include the Hairy’s all-white outer tail feathers, compared to the Downy’s spotted ones. Over time the size will become more familiar to you, and you won’t need to lean on the surrounding visuals. But at a distance of 40 feet or more, the difference in length becomes less obvious.Īs your woodpecker moves around, you’ll be able to judge its size in relation to other objects (leaves, branches, etc.). The downy has a shorter bill relative to the size of its head, which is, other than size and voice, the best way to distinguish. It is virtually identical in plumage to the smaller downy woodpecker. Up close, the two are easy to tell apart, even though they’re the same basic shape and color. The hairy woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus) is a medium-sized woodpecker that is found over a large area of North America.

Imagine if someone were holding up a silver teaspoon and a silver tablespoon. The hairy woodpecker's bill is much longer and stronger, nearly as long as the bird's head.

The downy has a tiny, stubby beak, barely as long as the distance from the front of its head to its eye. You could glue rulers to every tree and feeder in sight, or you could remember that a Downy is about the size of a House Sparrow, while the Hairy is about the size of a robin.ĭon’t worry, it gets easier with practice. A more reliable way to notice their size differences is to look at the shape of their bills. Spying this three-inch difference across a meadow or a yard can be hard at first. The Downy is a little over six inches tall, while the Hairy is almost 50 percent taller. If the bill is not in view-the bird is usually facing a tree, after all-move on to what is perhaps the best clue: overall size. The Hairy’s bill is a railroad spike in comparison, and almost as long as the its head. The Downy’s bill is dainty and about one-third the length of the bird’s head. Though they’re very similar, there are some key differences to look out for.įirst, check for the major difference in bill size. It’s easy to find these woodpeckers out in the woods (just like you find shorebirds on the shore), but an early identification challenge for new birders is distinguishing between these two common species. Another good question, what is the adaptive advantage to juveniles showing red here? Must have something to do with the identification of nestlings and juveniles by parents, but I have yet to see a study on this topic.What’s black and white and red all over? Both Hairy and the Downy Woodpeckers, unfortunately. In the Identification Guide I indicate (and will be indicating in the soon-to-be released 2nd edition) only that juveniles without red can be reliably sexed females and those with 'extensive red' can be sexed males, which leaves a lot of room for further study. So, based on this quick assessment, I suspect Aaron's bird is actually a female, although without a more thorough analysis I'd probably go with unknown sex for now. Based on seat-of-the-pants analysis along with a pinch of gut instinct, I would consider these HAWOs to be juvenile males: M元0930911, ML60049021, ML150081921 whereas I'd consider these to be juvenile females: ML107288031, ML105861971, ML242064761, as well as those with little or no red in the crown, e.g., ML105861441. It is also often accompanied by white flecks, a plumage trait also not found in adults. Slightly larger than a Downy Woodpecker, smaller than a Hairy Woodpecker. The extent of red in the crown of juvenile HAWOs does vary a lot. The horizontal stripes across its back set it apart from Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers.