Discover Every Woodpecker in North America—Where They Live and Fun Facts

Woodpeckers are one household of birds that want no introduction—their title says all of it. From the dainty Downy to the imposing Pileated, 22 species of woodpeckers may be discovered carving out houses in timber (and cacti) throughout North America. Whereas most woodpeckers sport some mixture of crimson, white, and black, not all do, and the birds listed right here can differ broadly of their look, behaviors, and habitats. See for those who acknowledge any of those characters, and to study extra about every species, go to its chook information web page.   

1.) Downy Woodpecker 

The smallest woodpecker in North America, this frequent chook may be seen throughout the nation and all through a variety of habitats year-round. Downy woodpeckers are additionally frequent yard guests and blissful to eat as a lot suet as you will present. 

2.) Furry Woodpecker

Trying almost equivalent to the Downy (here’s how to tell them apart), this medium-size woodpecker can be present in a lot of the identical territory, inflicting loads of ID confusion. In each Downy and Furry Woodpeckers, females lack the male’s brilliant crimson patch on the highest of its head. 

3.) Purple-bellied Woodpecker

Usually mistaken for the Purple-headed Woodpecker (very completely different; see #14), the Purple-bellied is one other medium-size woodpecker present in woodlands, parks, and suburbans areas throughout a lot of the jap United States. Their loud, trilling querr name usually offers away their presence.  

4.) Northern Flicker

A big woodpecker with placing facial markings and speckled plumage, Northern Sparkles are as prone to be seen lapping ants up off the bottom as they’re chipping away at a tree trunk for beetles, termites, and different bugs. Discovered year-round throughout the nation, jap, or “yellow-shafted,” birds flash gold in flight, whereas western, or  “red-shafted,” birds showcase a rosier hue. 

5.) Gilded Flicker 

A denizen of the Sonoran Desert, this woodpecker seems much like the Northern Flicker however is barely smaller and lacks a crimson patch on the again of its head. The chook’s golden underwings virtually gleam in flight, inspiring its title. The Gilded Flicker is one in every of a handful North American woodpeckers that carve out holes and nest in saguaro cacti. 

6.) Gila Woodpecker 

Much like the Gilded, this medium-size, bar-backed woodpecker may be discovered within the deserts of Arizona, Southern California, Mexico, and New Mexico, the place it makes its house in both timber or saguaros. As soon as deserted, the holes within the cacti created by Gila and Gilded Woodpeckers are used as nesting websites by many different chook species and animals. 

7.) Golden-fronted Woodpecker 

The Golden-fronted Woodpecker’s core vary is jap Mexico and Central America, however in the USA , it’s a everlasting resident of central Texas and southwestern Oklahoma. The chook seems much like the Purple-bellied save for the male’s orange-yellow nape, or neck, and splash of yellow above the invoice. 

8.) Pileated Woodpecker

It is laborious to mistake a Pileated Woodpecker: The biggest remaining woodpecker within the Western Hemisphere, the chook cuts a definite, crested profile because it glides from tree to tree in jap woodlands, a lot of Canada, and elements of the Pacific Northwest. Its name—a loud, percussive collection of cuk-cuk-cuks—may be heard at nice distances.  

9.) Lewis’s Woodpecker 

By far our most uncommon North American woodpecker, the Lewis’s Woodpecker sports activities inexperienced, silver, pink, and crimson feathers. Discovered throughout western states, the chook additional differs from different woodpecker by feeding largely by flycatching, sallying out from limbs and different perches. In flight, the medium-size chook is usually in comparison with a crow because of its vast, rounded wings. 

10.) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 

This medium-size woodpecker may be seen all through a lot of the midwest and east throughout winter months. Whereas the title may appear to be an insult, it is extremely correct: One very important meals supply for these birds is the energy-rich sap of timber, which they entry by creating little holes, or wells, that they’ll revisit when it is time to refuel.

11.) Purple-naped Sapsucker 

Discovered all through the Intermountain West throughout summer time months and in southern western states down into Mexico through the winter, this sapsucker’s patch of crimson on its neck is the important thing distinction between it and its Yellow-bellied cousin to the east. This chook additionally creates small holes to lap up sap—a lot to the delight of hummingbirds, who fortunately benefit from the free meals. 

12.) Purple-breasted Sapsucker 

The Purple-breasted Sapsucker sticks to a good vary alongside the Pacific Coast, and whereas it prefers coniferous forests, it will possibly nonetheless be discovered making grids of sap wells in blended woods with deciduous timber. Their brilliant crimson breast and head, in addition to their darker plumage, set these birds aside from the opposite two sapsucker species; atypically, men and women look alike. 

13.) Williamson’s Sapsucker 

One other chook of the Intermountain West throughout summer time months and a everlasting resident in California’s mountain ranges, males of this species are distinct, that includes jet-black plumage with two daring white strains on their face, a crimson patch on their chin, and yellow bellies. Females look utterly completely different, with an total brown or grey look and barring on their backs. 

14.) Purple-headed Woodpecker 

This dapper chook was as soon as one in every of our most typical woodpeckers—however not anymore. Whereas they’re conspicuos with their crimson  heads, crisp white stomach, and black-and-white wings, these birds at the moment are elusive, most frequently present in open woodlands and agricultural fields. The birds reside in small colonies and love acorns and beech nuts, which they will cache for later. 

15.) Nuttall’s Woodpecker 

This small woodpecker is an unique resident of California’s oak woodlands, the place its horizontal again stripes differentiate it from the similar-looking Downy and Furry Woodpecker.  This barring makes the Nuttall’s and Ladder-backed Woodpecker straightforward to confuse, however the Nuttall’s is total darker in look, with a large patch of black on their higher again.

16.) Ladder-backed Woodpecker 

A everlasting resident of the Southwest, the Ladder-backed seems loads like a Nuttall’s however with extra white on its face and again.  The territories for each solely overlap within the California foothills, although, so identification can normally be made by vary alone. 

17.) White-headed Woodpecker 

White-headed Woodpeckers are one in every of our most range-limited  North American woodpecker species. They’re solely present in high-altitude pine forests of western states and up into British Columbia. This chook can be the one woodpecker on this listing with a white faces and utterly black physique; females lack the male’s patch of crimson on the highest of its head. 

18.) Purple-cockaded Woodpecker 

The one woodpecker on this listing that’s take into account threatened. As soon as comparatively frequent throughout the southeastern United States, this species is now uncommon because of lack of habitat primarily from logging. Named for a tiny patch of crimson feathers—the “cockade”—behind the attention of the male, these largely black and white birds are extremely depending on longleaf pine forests to outlive.  

19.) Acorn Woodpecker

 This chook earns its title: Within the fall, it obsessively collects acorns, caching them in a lifeless snag loaded with pre-drilled holes till they’re wanted throughout robust winter months. Acorn Woodpeckers are communal birds with odd household dynamics, and these “granaries” can be utilized by generations of woodpeckers. 

20.) American Three-toed Woodpecker

A everlasting resident of western mountains and northern North America, this smaller woodpecker is low key and simple to overlook because it rests towards the trunks of timber. Three-toed Woodpeckers—which do certainly have three toes—forage for bugs by chipping away on the bark of lifeless timber, in order that they gravitate towards forests disturbed by fires or bark beetle outbreaks.  

21.) Black-backed Woodpecker

With the same however not as southern-reaching vary because the Three-toed, the Black-backed seems markedly related, with males additionally sporting a yellow patch of feathers on the brow. Additionally just like the Three-toed, Black-backed Woodpeckers have three toes and are extremely depending on not too long ago burned forests for habitat. The place the 2 overlap, the Black-backed tends to rule. 

22.) Arizona Woodpecker

Because the title suggests, this species is sort of solely present in southeastern Arizona in the USA, with its vary extending down into Mexico. The medium-size woodpecker has a brown again, white cheek patch, and closely noticed underside, giving it an look in contrast to every other woodpecker on this listing. Discover them in mountainous pin-oak forests.