#HAIRY VS DOWNY WOODPECKER PATCH#

The easiest way to identify a Downy or Hairy is to look at the length of their bill.

Let me reassure you it is not that difficult. In this photo of a Hairy Woodpecker, you can see the bill is roughly the same length as the bird’s head.īy now you might be feeling overwhelmed and doubting your confidence to correctly identify these similar woodpeckers. Bill length is by far the easiest way, in my opinion, to tell the difference between these similar woodpeckers. Seeing these characteristics while in the field even with quality binoculars can be a challenge to say the least.

#HAIRY VS DOWNY WOODPECKER PATCH#

The male Downy and Hairy each display a patch of red on the back of their heads with the Hairy’s being divided in two by a black line. Both woodpeckers have white outer tail feathers with the Downy displaying black spots on their outer tail feathers while the Hairy’s are plain white. Looking carefully at their plumage is another option for correctly deciphering between a Downy and Hairy. The black spots on the outer tailfeathers of this Downy Woodpecker clearly visible in this photo are not always easy to see therefore, this is not the most reliable field mark to look for. However, many birders and nature enthusiasts are just not comfortable relying on sound, besides what if the bird is seen and not heard? Learning to identify birds by ear takes quite a bit of practice and is more time consuming than the method I am going to share. Identifying each bird by their call is another way to tell the difference between a Downy and a Hairy.

Agreed, a 3″ size difference when it comes to birds is substantial however, when seen at a distance or not side-by-side this can still leave many unsure. Some may argue that size is the most obvious difference between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers with the former measuring 6-1/2″ in length and the latter 9-1/2″. However, when seen at a distance or not side-by-side for comparison this can pose a challenge. Size is one way to correctly identify Hairy (pictured here) and Downy Woodpeckers. There are several ways to correctly identify each bird, but one is by far the easiest. Both reside across our area with the Downy being more abundant and the one most often seen at backyard feeders. When it comes to woodpeckers, the Downy and Hairy are almost identical in appearance. Downy Woodpeckers are common in our area and regularly visit backyard feeders.

Hairy vs downy woodpecker