peckerwood are fascinating birds , instantly recognizable by their classifiable drumming strait as they tap on trees in lookup of food , to pass on with others , or to create nesting sites . Found across the orb , there are more than 200 coinage of woodpecker , each with its own unique equipment characteristic , habits , and regional habitats .
While peckerwood can be find on every continent except Antarctica , North America is home to a peculiarly divers array of species . From the massive Pileated Woodpecker to the lilliputian Downy Woodpecker , these skirt are a common sight in timberland , woodlands , and even urban region across the continent .
Whether you ’re an devouring birdwatcher or just curious about these noteworthy creatures , this article will explore 25 character of woodpecker , focus specially on those found in North America . We ’ll allow elaborate recognition point and include pictures to serve you recognize these unbelievable birds in their natural habitats .
Different Types of Woodpeckers
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red - headed pecker ( Melanerpes erythrocephalus ) are known for their striking appearance , featuring a bright crimson head , opprobrious back , prominent white wing speckle , and a livid belly . Unlike most woodpeckers with intricate patterns , their bold color blocks make them easy recognizable . These razzing measure about 7 - 9 inches in duration and are find mostly in the eastern one-half of the U.S. , although they are less mutual in New England . They are have sex for their territorial nature , sharply defending nesting sites by removing testis from other bird ’ nests .
Red - headed pecker opt assailable woodlands , pine plantations , standing dead wood in beaver swamps , river bottoms , grove , and swampland . They nest in cavities of dead trees or branches , set 4 - 7 ball per clasp . These woodpeckers feed on wood - tire worm , nuts , and on occasion catch insects mid - flight of steps . They have a unique habit of stack away food , including insects like grasshopper , in cracks of Sir Henry Wood or under shingles . regrettably , their universe is refuse due to the deprivation of dead trees , which are often removed for firewood , aesthetics , or pesterer restraint .
Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated peckerwood ( Dryocopus pileatus ) are the largest North American woodpeckers , mensurate 16 - 19 column inch long . They are predominantly bleak with a dramatic flushed crown , black and white stripy faces , and white wing linings . Males can be identified by a red “ mustache ” mark . These birds inhabit mature woods with large Tree but can occasionally be seen in suburban backyards . Their dieting in the main consists of ants and Mrs. Henry Wood - boring worm , supplemented by berries .
These peckerwood excavate bombastic , rectangular holes , sometimes up to seven inches across , to strain insects hidden deeply within Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree trunks . This natural process is so vigorous that they can snap minuscule trees in one-half . Pileated woodpeckers nest in cavities they carve in numb trunk or limb of bouncy trees , pose 3 - 8 eggs on a bed of wood chips . Although they confront universe decline due to encompassing logging in the 18th and nineteenth one C , they have made a retort as forest regrew . They are now adjust well to younger timberland and preserve to flourish across the eastern U.S. , most of Canada , and the northern west coast .
Red-bellied Woodpecker
The Red - bellied woodpecker ( Melanerpes carolinus ) is recognized by its black and white speckled back and wan breast . Despite its name , the reddish tone on its belly is faint and often unmanageable to fleck . Males exhibit a red lens hood from the beak down the neck , while females only have red on the nape . Often confused with the Red - headed woodpecker , they are incur throughout the eastern U.S. , extending into southern New England .
These adaptable bird inhabit undefended woodlands , tilth , orchards , shade Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , and green , thriving even in suburban area . Their diet consists of insects , fruit , and germ , and they oft visit backyard feeder . Red - bellied woodpecker are known for their extraordinary tongues , which can poke out two inches beyond the nozzle and are tipped with a gibe for catch insects . They also habituate their clapper to deflate fruits and lap out the mush , demonstrating their versatile alimentation habits .
Downy Woodpecker
The Downy woodpecker ( Picoides pubescens ) is the smallest North American woodpecker , measuring just 6 - 7 inches . It has black and white upper parts , a white stripe down its back , and a black and white stripy face . Males can be identified by a red patch on the nape . These woodpeckers are widespread across the U.S. and Canada , live in open woodlands , woodlet , Mungo Park , and even suburban backyards .
downlike woodpeckers feed on Grant Wood - boring insects , berries , and semen . They are often seen atbird feeders , eat suet and seeded player , and are known to sip nectar fromhummingbirdfeeders . Unlike other pecker , they favour to pick worm from bark cranny rather than drilling into Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . In winter , they join mixed - coinage alimentation flocks , benefiting from social feeding strategies . Their presence helps curb insect populations , prepare them valuable friend in maintaining ecological remainder .
Hairy Woodpecker
Hairy pecker ( Picoides villosus ) resembleDowny woodpeckersbut are larger ( 8.5 - 10 column inch ) with long handbill . They are distinguished by their black wing with clean spots , a lily-white stripe down the back , and an all - white paunch . Males have a red spell on the nape . They feed on wood - boring worm , berries , and cum and are happen across the U.S. , Canada , and parts of Mexico in mature forests , orchards , and parks .
These peckerwood play a all-important role in woods wellness by feed on louse that legal injury Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . They are cognize to follow Pileated woodpeckers to forage in the deep holes leave behind . Their drumming on trees not only establishes territory but also contributes to the timber ’s audile landscape . Hairy woodpeckers are index of healthy forests and support biodiversity by excavating Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree pit used by other specie for nesting .
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
The Red - cockaded Woodpecker ( Leuconotopicus borealis ) is distinguished by its striking black and bloodless approach pattern , a large snowy buttock , and a barred back . Male have a small red spot at the back of the crown , which gives the species its name . They mainly feed on wood - boring insects and reside in open true pine timberland . These woodpeckers are unique in nesting within living pine trees affected by red - substance disease — a fungal precondition that soften the heartwood , making it easier for them to chip at out nesting pit . Unfortunately , these trees are becoming scarce due to forest harvesting drill .
This metal money is make love for its cooperative breeding behavior , where honest-to-goodness young assist parents in raising the next generation . Red - cockaded Woodpeckers live in sluttish colony within ripe pine woodland and typically put down 2 - 5 eggs in rotten heartwood cavity . These nest cavities can be recycle for many yr . Due to habitat loss , they have been listed as endangered since 1973 , with possibly only four remaining universe groups in the southeastern United States . Conservation efforts , include maintaininglongleaf pineecosystems through see to it burn , are of the essence for their survival .
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Lewis ’s Woodpecker ( Melanerpes lewis ) is easy recognized by its dark shining - unripened head and back , gray catch , red case , and pinkish belly . Unlike most peckerwood , it has broad , rounded wings and a unique flight figure resembling that of a crow . It feeds on insects catch in flight and also devour Berry , en , and acorns . Found in unresolved pine woodlands and disperse Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree groves across the western U.S. , Lewis ’s Woodpeckers are often seen perch openly on wire , a behaviour uncommon among woodpeckers . They are societal birds , oft spotted in family groups .
This species nest in cavities within dead branches or stumps , repose 5 - 9 ballock . Named after IE Meriwether Lewis , this woodpecker was first memorialize during the Lewis & Clark outing in 1805 . unambiguously , Lewis ’s peckerwood exhibit nomadic behavior , migrating long distance in hunt of food , especially abide by acorn crops . They also lay in nutrient in tree diagram chap for winter function . Conservation efforts to bear on oak and pine forests are indispensable to maintain their universe , highlighting the metal money ’ dependence on specific habitat and food source .
Acorn Woodpecker
The Acorn Woodpecker ( Melanerpes formicivorus ) is easily identified by its black plumage , red-faced cap , distinctive contraband middle mask , yellowish forehead , and pale centre . Its glossy black body is contrasted by a white rump and a streaky chest . This species feed in on insects , fruit , and acorn , which are essential to its winter dieting . Acorn Woodpeckers inhabit oak woodlands , grove , and forested canon , ranging from the U.S. West Coast to Central America . They live in colonies of 3 - 10 razzing , exhibiting a highly social and cooperative lifestyle .
These woodpeckers are known for their remarkable acorn - storing behaviour , drilling small holes into Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree torso to firmly hive up acorn for future use . Some “ garner trees ” have been found containing up to 50,000 acorns . Their communal livelihood extends to nesting , where all members of the colony help incubate eggs and feed the young . This cooperative breeding strategy enhances their survival and showcases their complex social structure . protect oak tree woodlands is full of life for preserve their unique ecosystem and communal way of life .
Gila Woodpecker
The Gila Woodpecker ( Melanerpes uropygialis ) is recognized by its bar black and white back , brown face and neck , and a red detonating machine on males . It feeds on insects , yield , seeds , and occasionally small lounge lizard . Native to desert of southerly Arizona and northeastern Mexico , this species is tight associated with large cacti , especially the Carnegiea gigantea . Gila Woodpeckers excavate nest cavities within saguaros , wait several months for the inner flesh to dry , forming solid bulwark within the cavity . They lay 2 - 7 orchis in these cactus or tree diagram cavities .
This species plays a all important office in desert ecosystem by providing nesting cavity for other animals once they vacate their nest . However , Gila Woodpecker populations declined by about 49 % between 1966 and 2014 due to home ground going from human development in the Sonoran Desert . contest with invasive European starling for nesting sites also poses a terror . Despite the declivity , their population is still relatively stable . Conservation of desert home ground and control of invasive species are essential for their keep on survival of the fittest .
American Three-toed Woodpecker
The American Three - toenail Woodpecker ( Picoides dorsalis ) features a contraband back with a central smuggled and bloodless exclude approach pattern , white underparts , and black - and - white barred flanks . Males are distinguished by a yellow cap . Unlike most peckerwood , this species has only three toe , all pointing onwards . It feeds primarily on wood - boring insect , spider , and Charles Edward Berry . Found across Canada , Alaska , and along the Rocky Mountain corridor , it live cone-bearing forests , specially in areas affected by wildfire .
This species narrow in exploiting burned wood , feeding on bark and wood - boring mallet that thrive after wildfire . Its unique adaptation to post - fire environments assist forest regeneration by helping decompose dead tree . The American Three - toed Woodpecker typically breed farther north than any other woodpecker species . Conservation of burned woodland habitats is crucial for their natural selection , highlighting the importance of natural disturbances in maintain biodiversity and supporting specialized metal money like this one .
Black-backed Woodpecker
The Black - back Woodpecker ( Picoides arcticus ) is distinguished by its entirely black back , wing , and tooshie , contrasted by principally blanched underpart and flanks debar with black and lily-white . The head is blackened with a characteristic clean vibrissa mark , and male exhibit a yellow cap . Their diet consist of wood - boring insects , spiders , and berry , and they populate cone-bearing forest across Canada into Alaska , as well as sections of the northwestern U.S. and northerly California .
Like the American Three - toe Woodpecker , Black - back Woodpeckers also have only three front - front toes . However , they show a particular preference for flake off bark off tree rather than drilling , with a special phylogenetic relation for burned - over sites . These peckerwood are known to move from one fix to another in pursuit of Grant Wood - bore beetles prosper in habitats latterly affected by fire . They may even venture far south of their usual range into the United States , driven by fluctuations in their preferred intellectual nourishment sources or by a need to flourish their territory following a universe boom .
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
The Golden - front Woodpecker ( Melanerpes aurifrons ) is tell apart by its classifiable gold marker located above the nib and at the scruff . Their backs are barred black and white , while their side and underparts exhibit a greyish tan coloration . male are describe by a red cap . Their diet includes insects , fruit , and acorns , and they are usually find in dry forest , groves , and mesquit areas across central and southern Texas into the eastern half of Mexico .
These woodpecker have a especial penchant for using piece - made structures like telephony rod and fencing position as nesting sites , often drill into them so extensively that they cause meaning price . An interesting conduct is observe during the Texas summer when some Golden - look Woodpeckers turn their faces purpleness , a answer of their diet intemperately consist ofprickly pear cactusfruit . Their adaptability to human - interpolate landscapes has permit them to hold stable populations despite home ground change .
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
The Ladder - second Woodpecker ( Picoides scalaris ) is easy identify by its calamitous and white blackball on the back and patterned flank , with male sporting a crimson cap . Their diet primarily consists of woodwind - bore insect , cat , and cactus fruit , and they thrive in arid , dry brushy area , thickets , and desert environments . preponderantly regain in the southeastern U.S. and across most of Mexico , these woodpeckers are well adapted to dry , arid climates .
Despite the scarceness of tree in many of their habitats , Ladder - back Woodpeckers often make their homes in the jumbo Saguaro cactus . Their former name , the “ Cactus Woodpecker , ” chew over this preference . Their diminished size of it and agility allow them to dextrously manoeuvre around the thorns and spines of cacti and mesquite . Ladder - backed Woodpeckers share a close relationship with Nuttall ’s Woodpecker , although their ranges barely overlap , highlighting the unique version and corner these specie have developed .
Nuttall’s Woodpecker
The Nuttall ’s Woodpecker ( Dryobates nuttallii ) can be identified by its black head , white throat and belly , contraband spots on the breast , and black wings and rump . The grownup female has a black forehead , crown , and chapiter , while the adult male person has a red crown and fateful os frontale . The only difference between them and the Ladder - backed Woodpecker is that the Nuttall ’s Woodpecker ’s red cap extends more toward its neck .
Nuttall ’s peckerwood primarily feed on insects , privilege beetles , beetle larvae , ant , and millipedes , and at times affix their diet with fruit like blackberries . They inhabit realm west of the southern Cascade Mountains , from southerly Oregon to northern Baja California , predominantly within oak woodlands and along current . Despite their affinity for oak Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , they do not wipe out acorns .
The species maintains stable population within these specify habitats . However , their trust on circumscribed oak tree woodland surface area raises concern about likely next risks , especially from environmental changes . A pregnant threat to their habitat is the gap of Sudden Oak Death , a fungous disease prejudicious to oak tree , which could hard impact Nuttall ’s Woodpecker population if it lead to substantial habitat loss .
White-headed Woodpecker
The White - lead Woodpecker ( Leuconotopicus albolarvatus ) is characterise by its distinctive visual aspect , sport a chiefly fateful consistence , wing , and nates . What sets it apart is its strike white human face , tip , and throat , along with a illustrious white eyepatch on the annexe . In male person , a small red patch is observed on the scruff . This woodpecker support itself primarily on a dieting of pine seed and wood - boring insects , showcasing its adaptability to its natural home ground .
These woodpeckers are practiced pinecone raiders . They cling to the sides or bottom of unopened pine cones to chip launch the scales and remove the seeds . They then deposit the seeds into the crevice of Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree barque and hammer them to break them apart . Their preferred environment includes flock pine tree woodland in scoop of the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.
The White - head Woodpecker ’s specialized diet on pine seeds attain it highly pendent on mature pine tree forests , peculiarly Ponderosa pine . Conservation of these habitats is crucial for their survival , particularly in region look logging and forest fires . Despite these challenges , their population remain relatively stable due to their adaptability to mountainous cone-bearing ecosystems .
Arizona Woodpecker
The Arizona pecker ( Leuconotopicus arizonae ) is a intermediate - sized hoot know for its chocolate-brown and white plumage , which helps it blend into its forested habitat . Unlike many woodpeckers , this specie lack the vibrant crimson markings commonly seen in others , give it a more understated show . Males are distinguished by a little scarlet spot on the back of their head , while females are entirely brown and white . Their diet consists in the main of insects , larvae , nuts , and Charles Edward Berry , which they scrounge by pick into Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree bark .
This woodpecker is primarily establish in the southwesterly United States and Central Mexico . In the U.S. , its range is limit to the southern share of Arizona and New Mexico , where it dwell mature pine - oak woods . These birds prefer wooded canon and mountainous regions , making their nests in excavated cavities within all in or decaying Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . The Arizona pecker is a class - beat resident in its range , with the good chance of tell apart one during the breeding time of year from March to May , when they are most vocal .
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
The yellow - bellied sapsucker ( Sphyrapicus varius ) is easy recognizable by its mordant and ashen plumage , with males boast a bright cerise crown and throat , while female person have a white throat . These medium - sized woodpecker are known for their distinctive feeding demeanour , drilling neat dustup of holes in tree bark to access sap . They have specialised pilus - corresponding bristles on their tongues to lick up the sap , which also attracts insects that they pronto consume . Their wide-ranging diet include sap , insects , and berry .
This coinage is found throughout easterly North America , from Canada to Mexico , include the eastern one-half of the United States . They choose deciduous and miscellaneous woodlands , peculiarly areas with an abundance of Aspen tree diagram , where they hollow cavities for nesting . Yellow - belly out sapsuckers are migrant birds , multiply in the northern constituent of their reach and wintering in the southern U.S. , Mexico , and Central America .
Red-breasted Sapsucker
violent - breasted sapsucker ( Sphyrapicus ruber ) are bed for their vivacious red head and breast , contrasted by smutty and white mottling on their backs and wing . They have a prominent white stroke on the berm , making them easily distinguishable from other pecker species . Their diet consists mainly of tree sap , insect , and berries , get by drill neat rows of holes in tree diagram barque . They also engage in a unique courtship display , drumming rhythmically on tree tree trunk to attract mates and establish territorial dominion .
This species is primarily found along the far westerly coast of North America , from British Columbia down through California . They dwell coniferous and mixed woodland , nestle in cavity they excavate in beat or decaying trees . Red - breasted sapsucker are non - migrant , remaining in their coastal habitat year - pear-shaped . Their presence plays an essential role in forest ecosystems , as their sap wells provide food for thought for other animals , include hummingbird and dirt ball .
Red-naped Sapsucker
The red - naped sapsucker ( Sphyrapicus nuchalis ) is characterize by its striking black , clean , and red facial markings , along with a prominent bloodless annexe separatrix . Males and female person both have a red peak , while male also have a red pharynx patch . Their diet primarily consist of sap , insect , and Berry , obtained by drill horizontal rows of hollow in tree barque . They also exhaust insect trap in the sap , ply them with an essential source of protein .
This specie is native to the westerly part of North America , ranging from the Rocky Mountains to parts of the Pacific Northwest and into Canada . They opt mixed coniferous and deciduous forest , especially those with Aspen trees , where they excavate nesting cavity in alive Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree trunks . crimson - naped sapsuckers are migratory , breed in the northerly parts of their chain of mountains and wintering in the southwestern U.S. and Mexico .
Williamson’s Sapsucker
Williamson ’s sapsucker ( Sphyrapicus thyroideus ) is known for its salient intimate dimorphism . male person are predominantly black with a shining carmine throat , white wing patches , and a graphic chickenhearted belly , while female have a brownish head and black - and - white barred design on their back and wing . Both sex share a diet consisting of sap , louse , and berry , which they obtain by drilling sap wells in Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree barque . They are also roll in the hay for their unique migratory rule , be active between different elevations depending on seasonal changes .
This species inhabits coniferous forests along the Rocky Mountain corridor , ranging from southerly British Columbia down to Baja California . They nest in cavities they excavate in live Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , showing a preference for pine and fir species . Williamson ’s sapsuckers are known for their adaptability to different forest habitats , migrate vertically to lower elevations during the winter month . Their specialized feeding habit and migration patterns underscore their importance in maintaining timberland ecosystem equaliser .
