![]() Woodpeckers are always fascinating, and a great way to introduce kids and neighbours to birds in your garden, at your cottage, or on the farm. The black mark that extends from the shoulder onto. Hairy Woodpeckers favour larger trees and forested areas, but I see them at my seed and suet feeders occasionally. The downy woodpeckers white outer tail feathers are usually barred in black, giving it a spotted effect. ![]() They also tap on my board-and-batten house, without doing any damage. The Downy will search for insects on smaller branches of trees and even shrubs, or peck at a plant gall, like those spheres you see on goldenrod plants. Right now my biggest challenge is trying to identify a Downy Woodpecker from a Hairy Woodpecker. I see more Downies than Hairies in the garden. Dear Bird Folks, I’m a new bird watcher who is particularly interested in woodpeckers. In most of Canada, a suet cake of almost any recipe, homemade or purchased, will eventually attract a couple more woodpecker species. Look At The Feathers And Markings Another slight differences between the two birds can be seen in the tail feathers. This makes a hairy woodpecker’s drumming sound much faster. There is also geographic variation, with both species showing more extensive black all over the head in populations in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific regions. Downy woodpeckers usually produce 17 drums per second while hairy woodpeckers will produce 25 drums per second. Before long, you’ll see the difference at a glance!ĭownies are one of the most likely woodpeckers to come to feeders, and possibly the only woodpecker you’ll attract with seeds alone. The full white band may be more frequent in Downy than Hairy Woodpecker, but that needs confirmation. To allow the side to open easily, the pivot screw on the opposite side needs to be level with the one in front. Downies have a much smaller bill, just a third of the head depth. Downy and Hairy Woodpecker Nest Box Materials One 1x8 x 8’ rough cedar board Twenty 1-1/2 outdoor wood screws or 7 galvanized nails Wire to keep side door shut A Pivot screws work as hinges. Hairies have a strong, heavy bill, about as long as the head is deep. If it’s as big as a robin, it’s a Hairy smaller is a Downy. ![]() Photo Credit: Ron Ridout Photo Credit: May HagaĮverything about the Downy is smaller and gentler. Other woodpeckers aside, how do we distinguish Downies from Hairies?ĭowny Woodpecker (female) Hairy Woodpecker (male) (Misidentifying male Downies or Hairies as ‘Red-headed Woodpecker’ is a common mistake.) For both species, look for a bold white stripe down the back.īeware: a woodpecker with a long white stripe on the wing is a sapsucker, and one with a full red hood is a Red-headed Woodpecker. The pictures are of a female Downy and a male Hairy. They are similar in appearance, but with practice, you’ll distinguish them by overall size and bill length.īoth species are beautifully patterned black and white, with males having a small red patch on the back of the head. Guest blog contribution from Steven Price, President, Birds Studies Canada.ĭowny and Hairy woodpeckers can be seen in gardens across Canada, north to the tree line.
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