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Woodpeckers are one of the most fascinating avians you’re able to find in your backyard – and did you know that there are22 species in the United States ?
There ’s a good chance that if you have more than one pecker visiting you , you may really be represent host to a few different coinage !
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
Although the listing below comprise all the usual woodpecker found in the United States , it ’s possible to come up a vagrant species of peckerwood that ’s not aboriginal to this particular state . If you do see a vagrant species , it should be moot an super uncommon sighting !
The following fable can be used for each peckerwood species map to determine what fourth dimension of year you could see each woodpecker in your arena .
The 22 Woodpeckers in the United States
Acorn Woodpecker
Melanerpes formicivorus
Order : Piciformes
Family : Picidae
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
Size:7.5 – 9.1 in ( 19 – 23 cm )
The super - noisy acorn woodpecker is a born drummer , often rapping its talons against tree branches ! They are so - cite thanks to their propensity to accumulate and store acorn for their young ones . They ’ll pass much of their spirit hunt and protecting crackpot for their brood to feed . Acorn woodpeckers have fascinating societal lives , often choosing to pair with multiple of the same species during a lifetime . The acorn woodpecker is one of few Picidae celebrated for avoiding monogamy . They also strive to defend their nests at all costs , too .
Other than disturbance , you ’ll spot an acorn pecker thanks to its black - and - white food colouring . The males have a mess of red feathers on their crown , while females have more dim colouring on the brow .
You ’ll commonly find oneself that acorn woodpecker shack towards the southwest , with razzing live on in forestry deep into California , Washington State , and even in Texas and Arizona . If you ’re favourable , you may even recognise a few out in Colorado , across the Rockies , and into Nevada .
American Three-toed Woodpecker
genus Picoides dorsalis
Size:8.3 – 9.1 in ( 21 – 23 cm )
These woodpeckers are so - named thanks to the obvious differences in their feet – they tend to list back further than most woodpecker thanks to their three toe ! They also tend to be some of the noisy , more aggressive putz , so that they can get a better strike on the bark they attack . American Three - toed woodpeckers tend to spend a quite a little of fourth dimension peck and scaling away at one or two trees before they will choose to go elsewhere – and they never get too rich into the barque .
As well as only having three toe , the American three - toed woodpecker is notable for having black / brown and white feathers , speckled , with a outstanding patterned face . Again , they can also be easy to spot thanks to their pecking habit .
This Picidae is sadly one of the most jeopardise , though there are suppose to be more than 1.4 million of them living across North America . They tend to inhabit forested mountain areas , and they also largely inhabit the upper one-half of the continent . If you live in Alaska , British Columbia , or out towards Canada , you may be lucky enough to spot one or two .
Arizona Woodpecker
Dryobates arizonae
Size:7.1 – 7.9 in ( 18 – 20 atomic number 96 )
This rare little Picidae is , as its name suggests , a kickshaw to spot in backyard around the southern land . quietly colored and sprightly , this comparatively modest peckerwood tends to be a big fan of treats you ’ll impart out in a tributary . Their telephone number are say to be restricted , but around sure states , you ’ll receive it well-to-do enough to attract them . The Arizona woodpecker has an remaining pattern in how it scale tree diagram , too . It tends to start spiraling up trees that it enjoys peck , working from the bottom all the way up to the top .
pocket-size in stature and clear Brown University in coloring , the Arizona Woodpecker can sometimes shoot a line a small reft tuft towards the back of its head and has a speckled dresser .
The name gives it out – you ’ll find this metal money of Picidae living across Arizona and down towards Mexico , favoring forests robust in pine tree . If you live close to the Sky Islands , they can be a common delicacy to spot .
Black-Backed Woodpecker
genus Picoides arcticus
Size:9.1 in ( 23 atomic number 96 )
The Black person - backed woodpecker is a fellow Picidae alongside the American three - toed variety , though as the name advise , these shuttlecock can be prosperous enough to tell apart . These particular chick have the rather unpaired habit of striking trees that have died . There ’s a reason for this – they forage in burnt trees to go hunt for unsuspicious insect . fatal - back woodpeckers will usually protrude pecking aside on burnt wood a few weeks after it ’s been scorched . What ’s also enchanting is the fact that they will run on this wood for up to eight years !
This Picidae , as its name suggests , has a shiny , ignominious , feathery plumage , which can be excellent in helping to camouflage it in darker , burnt forests . They are becoming more and more common as they hunt for grub and larvae , and it ’s likely you ’ll spot them alongside their three - toed cousin-german .
There are say to be more than 1.8 million Negro - backed Picidae in North America mightily now , and you ’ll spot them all across the northern State Department heading into Canada . Again , much like the three - toed variety , this wench unremarkably frequents Alaska and out east – if there are combust tree , they ’ll be airless by .
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
Size:5.5 – 6.7 in ( 14 – 17 cm )
Truly tiny , the cute downy woodpecker is a Picidae that ’s vernacular across the north to key states . In fact , they are the modest aboriginal woodpeckers in the country . They tend to prefer milder climate on the whole but are known to move around around . They utilise sharp , single calls , and tend to delight feeding on seeds in feeders . If you have any woodpeckers in your backyard , there is a very good chance it is a Dryobates pubescens . They are just larger than your common garden dunnock .
Exceptionally low but unabashedly noisy , the puberulent woodpecker is for the most part fateful and clean with spots , and the males tend to have ruby crowns . They have varying position and grade insignia across their wing and plume – intend that neither one nor two may ever look the same !
The downy peckerwood live just about everywhere across the United States , with sightings across State as various as Florida and Alaska ! If the clime is mild enough – and not too gay – then there ’s every chance you ’ll spot this bird in your G . There are around 13 million of them across the continent .
Gila Woodpecker
genus Melanerpes uropygialis
Size:8.7 – 9.4 in ( 22 – 24 cm )
The warmth - love Gila peckerwood is a vulgar sight across Mexico , and you ’ll often see it in the desert . In fact , these Picidae prefer nesting in cacti over any other plant , Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , or shrub ! It stay in desiccated atmospheric condition perhaps better than most . This pecker is a mid - sized razz that lean to spend its afternoon perching and call , preferring to get much of its hunting out of the manner early . This species is also extremely sociable with other woodpeckers and calling birds .
The Gila woodpecker looks fairly similar to other eastern Picidae , however , you ’ll know them for their brown or tawny soundbox and head colors , along with patterned wing and tails .
The Gila woodpecker is rare in the US , however , it can move over to drier southwesterly soil such as Arizona , New Mexico , and California in lookup of cacti . You likely wo n’t find this woodpecker hanging around the dying trees that many other snort in its family are likely to frequent .
Gilded Flicker
Colaptes chrysoides
Size:11.0 in ( 28 atomic number 96 )
This large , heat - know Picidae is a lover of cacti – in fact , it will normally make nests in the plant life without a scratch ! These species are pretty rarified , woefully , but they are truly gorgeous to catch – any backyard welcoming these doll is a lucky one indeed . Just smaller than the average line-shooting , the Gilded Flicker lean to revel banquet on insects that tunnel into the ground , with emmet being prime targets . You ’ll rarely see these dame in trees , however – so it ’s better to look nearer to the ground .
Often speckled to the crest and offstage , the Gilded Flicker can also display a fairly gold plume in flight . It has brown - orange colorings on its crown and down the back of its principal . You may often see it boast a grim crown , too .
The Gilded Flicker , as a lover of cacti for nest - construction , tends to frequent deserts and arid country out around Mexico and towards California , Arizona , and Nevada . Even then , its habits are sadly threatened – meaning unless you live near to the drier part and plain , spotting this Picidae is pretty rarefied .
Golden-Fronted Woodpecker
Melanerpes aurifrons
Size:8.7 – 10.2 in ( 22 – 26 cm )
This southern Picidae is a funny creature that take up its looks from some flickers but has demeanour all of its own . They are , unhappily , in decay – but you have a good opportunity of descry them in the drying agent forest of North America . They incline to live out in loose wooded areas , and this species is more of a fan of fruit and fruitcake than it is insect . They also tend to subsist to a ripe old age – the oldest on criminal record was almost 6 year old when released into the wilderness .
As its name advise , the Golden - fronted woodpecker has a fairly bright plumage , often with a golden receding tip , and possible icteric grading towards its beak . You ’ll also observe the speckled wings and tail , shape of which you will also spot in flicker , too .
Golden - fronted pecker tend to prefer flocking towards the southwest , occasionally popping up in the backyards of Texas . It ’s also transmigrate towards Mexico , clearly favour the more waterless temperatures and climates the continent has to extend .
Hairy Woodpecker
Dryobates villosus
Size:7.1 – 10.2 in ( 18 – 26 cm )
If there is a probability you ’re going to spot a pecker in your backyard somewhere in the res publica , then it ’s probably hold out to be a hairy species ! The Dryobates villosus is highly common , but it ’s in reality fairly unsure and retiring . They have very simple calls but will be happy to exercise and bone up on just about anything . They are also select opportunists – they ’ll steal sap from holes drill by other bird ! The hairy peckerwood is also known for its mighty tidy sum – it appear small , but it drills loudly !
The hairy woodpecker by nature has a middling hairy appearance , though it ’s also illustrious for its comparatively long , pointed throwaway , as well as its distinct dim and whitened coloring . Some specie , however , can carry a chocolate-brown tint . They are generally white to the chest and are speckled to the wings .
Where to start ? This Picidae does n’t tend to be fussy about clime , though you ’ll commonly see it amongst coniferous tree . There are more than eight million of these bird across the continent , and their numbers pool are uprise – there are no particular commonwealth where they are most prolific .
Ladder-Backed Woodpecker
Dryobates scalaris
Size:6.3 – 7.1 in ( 16 – 18 curium )
Small but spunky , this is a monochromatic shuttlecock that you will normally feel fluttering and drilling around the southern states . This bird have a go at it the desiccant , warmer climate , and tends to nestle deep into some of the less moist forests across these soil . gratefully , they have a static population ! These pecker are subdivision foragers , choosing to smack around keenly for insects . They usually hide themselves during foraging – imply they are not always easy to spot . That say , they do n’t lean to spend much time in the air , either .
Largely smutty and livid to the backs and flank , these woodpeckers often boast crimson jacket crown tangle back , with black markings around their faces and beaks . They will often have brownish tinges on their fronts , too .
The ravel - back woodpecker tends to be a uncouth sight across the southern and southwesterly states , and they can be look further in the south in Central America . This incline to be a non - migratory pecker – it is often happy to stay local .
Lewis’s Woodpecker
genus Melanerpes lewis
Size:10.2 – 11.0 in ( 26 – 28 centimeter )
The Lewis ’s Woodpecker is fairly rarefied , but also somewhat laborious to miss when you do blob one ! This is a odd pecker in that it does n’t tend to peck into wood for grubs – instead , it ’s more fond to consume the remaining flight critter . regrettably , this is another woodpecker whose numbers are fairly rare , as its habitat is shrinking . The Lewis ’s Woodpecker is a little routine of a nomad in its nature , in that it will be happy to search for food in various territory across the year . However , you ’ll unremarkably find it in burn wood and pineland .
Boasting gorgeous crimson and opprobrious feature of speech , Lewis ’s pecker tends to be rosy around the face and beak , and to the crest and front plumage . You ’ll find it has a magnificent , sweeping , black plumage to the wings and tail . You belike wo n’t hear it peck at or boring .
Lewis ’s woodpecker , while rare , tends to be descry to the southwest , as far out east as Oklahoma , and normally takes up refuge in forests . However , you ’ll also find it in some spots of California – a rarified spot that ’s very rewarding .
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
Size:11.0 – 12.2 in ( 28 – 31 centimetre )
This Picidae is bed by many , many different names – and you may well have seen it referred to as the Yellow or crimson - shafted Flicker . It ’s a fairly coarse raspberry and is also one of the heavy woodpecker endure across the land . Unlike most peckers , however , they tend to banquet primarily on ground insect – ants , in special ! This Flicker will prefer to hop-skip around to consume , but may even pick out to locate itself on arm once in a while when it picture a fruit delicacy or two .
The Northern Flicker has plumage colour that can motley ( hence its many names ) , but you may unremarkably spot these bird thanks to their blob tails and fender . They often have black markings around their faces and crests , and you ’ll be able to tell them apart from other Picidae on bluff sizing alone .
Northern Flickers incline to subsist out east but can be plant richly up in the northwesterly reaches of Alaska , and even down towards the west coast – that applies to the yellow - screw diverseness , in any face ! spark of this genus tend to be fairly common across the US , with almost ten million specimens estimated at present in North America .
Nuttall’s Woodpecker
Dryobates nuttallii
Small and sprightly , the Nuttall ’s woodpecker is a rare west coast ken and is thought to be fairly similar to ravel - backed woodpeckers . However , it is even less common ! They junket mainly on mini beasts , include ants – a standardised diet to the Northern Flicker . That allege , they do incline to frequent trees more often . The Nuttall ’s woodpecker extend a very typical call – almost like a rale ! It often moves in circular gesture in search of food and be given to incline itself around offset .
Small and squat , these peckerwood boast black , chocolate-brown , and white marking , often with red crowns sweeping down the back of their head . If you hold out amongst oak trees down the west coast , then you may just see a Nuttall ’s wench or two .
This Picidae is famous for almost exclusively exist in the woodlands of California . In fact , it ’s highly odd if you distinguish them anywhere else ! However , they are sometimes effortless visitors to neighboring states like Oregon and western Nevada . Again , despite their propensity to live in thickly wooded areas , they shop at these berth for the hemipterous insect , not the acorn !
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
Size:15.8 – 19.3 in ( 40 – 49 cm )
Large and loud , this woodpecker is fairly sluttish to notice – particularly as their mating cries are so distinguishable ! Rather tragically , this husky Picidae is sometimes mistaken for a woodpecker that ’s thought to now be out – the ivory - billed woodpecker , which has n’t been see in the US for many long time . The pileated woodpecker , almost crowlike in stature , incline to banquet on ants and minibeasts found deep in decompose trees . This metal money ’ hole - making can aid give shelter to other animals – making it a welcome vision .
Beyond their cheap cries and woodwind rapping , the pileated woodpecker has a shocking red crown , with monochromatic body and tenacious , thin beaks . The male person of the species is well-heeled to spot as it has a facial marking rather like a moustache .
The pileated peckerwood does n’t be given to be too erratic about where it like to live . However , you ’ll mainly find it living out in easterly states , though as far north as Nova Scotia ! If you ’re a California indigen , it ’s also not unheard of to spot this common Picidae .
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
Size:9.4 in ( 24 cm )
Increasingly vulgar , the red - bellied pecker be given to relish constellate to backyard feeders and has a call you might just recognize . They only ever cram during mating or attraction , and if you ’ve ever tried to evidence these birds apart in terminus of gender – it ’s almost insufferable on glimpse alone . This is a mid - sized hiss that does n’t tend to do too much equipment casualty to tree , it ’s one of the blue-blooded woodpeckers you ’ll find in the US wild . They lean to prefer pecking off at hardwood and will flock to woods when they are n’t at the tributary .
The reddened - belly out pecker , of course of action , has a red breadbasket , but you will principally know it for its red - tinged crown and its bar - coat feathers , as well as a brown - non-white front and grimace . Again , it ’s laborious to tell the male and female apart .
These woodpeckers tend to be common sights out towards the east and southeastern states , from Texas out to Florida . They do n’t tend to move around too much , particularly as they will steal nesting daub from other birds !
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus ruber
Size:7.9 – 8.7 in ( 20 – 22 cm )
The flushed - breasted sapsucker is a west coast Picidae that tend to enjoy flocking to forests to suckle on sap – hence its name . Many other woodpeckers depend upon and can espouse the red - front sapsucker in search of food , as their pickle lean to be very ready to hand to get sap from ! The red - breasted sapsucker tends to be a fairly organized doer , drilling quarrel to sop up sap from and to eat on insect . Interestingly , you ’ll also feel these birds clump towards the seacoast , too .
These striking shuttlecock have gorgeous blood-red forefront and feather , often with disastrous and blanched feathers on their wings and tails . They are mid - sized birds and incline to flock more towards the forest reaches than to yards . In any case , you may get favorable .
You will get this Picidae to frequent west coast dominion , traditionally to the Dame Rebecca West of the Rockies . West seacoast gardeners in California , Oregon , and Washington closely to the forest edges may distinguish one or two if there are conifer close by .
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Dryobates borealis
Size:7.9 – 9.1 in ( 20 – 23 cm )
The red - cockaded pecker is n’t actually all that red to look at – but we ’ll fare to that . It ’s a rare Picidae in that it wo n’t cluster to burnt or dead trees . They prefer safety machine in routine and tend to peck away at living plant and trees . lamentably , these woodpecker are some of the rarest to find in the US , if not the worldly concern . They are a rare kickshaw to spot . This bird is roughly robin - sized , and will usually make a distinct call – you ’ll be lucky to hear it . They incline to work away at pine bark in small group .
Small to mid - sized , these fuzzy - looking peckerwood tend to have all - over brown bars on their offstage and stern , with striking mordant and white facial markings . You ’ll normally see them scale pine trees .
You will unremarkably only find the red - cockaded woodpecker in the southeast of the US , and even then , there are only think to be 15,000 specimens in the state of nature . Conservation and studies are ongoing for this endangered species .
Red-headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus
This tumid , boldly - color in Bronx cheer is a wonderful sight for many , and while you might not take heed it call too often , its rattles and drumming on trees will likely be a common speech sound across its native states . However , it does n’t actually peck at trees for intellectual nourishment – it snatches flying beast as they flitter past times . This peckerwood has woefully shine in numeral over the years due to food scarceness . However , when it ca n’t snatch a bug or two , it blithely junket on nuts and acorn .
Their name is a giveaway – they have bright red crowns and heads , with white body feathers and black and white wings and tail . You believably wo n’t hear their calls too loudly .
These acorn - forage bird buy at the easterly to central states , stretching up as far as outer Canada . They be given to relish the warm reaches , however , as they will frequent stain in Florida and down in New Mexico .
Red-naped Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus nuchalis
Size:7.5 – 8.3 in ( 19 – 21 cm )
This popular sapsucker is a vulgar birdie that ’s develop in numbers – and that ’s potential to thrill many woodpecker elsewhere , as this is a sapsucker potential to leave fortune of subject gob for tasty sap . You ’ll usually spot them out in woodland like other sapsucker , but you may get one or two in your yard if you are lucky enough ! This woodpecker has an inordinately inadequate tongue for its species , though that helps it to get at its day-by-day sap . These sapsuckers can live to relatively older age , with the oldest on platter being almost five age of years .
The crimson - naped sapsucker has – of course – a violent scruff , with bloodless and black markings often emblazoning its side , as well as its crest , body , and wings . It can get quite big , and given that it ’s fairly vernacular , you should n’t have any trouble finding it .
These woodpeckers tend to last in the mid - elevation wood of the intermountain West , from the Rocky Mountains westwards to the eastern gradient of Washington and Oregon . Most individual migrate curt space with females migrate further than male person on average . The northerly hiss move south into the westerly and southwestern United States .
White-headed Woodpecker
Dryobates albolarvatus
The white - headed peckerwood is a Rockies razzing , normally preferring conifer trees and taking a rather delicate glide slope to seek out prey . They will seldom peck or hammer – alternatively , prefer to strip tree bark in hunting of tasty bite . Unfortunately , they are amongst some of the most endangered woodpecker in North America . If you are lucky enough to blemish this woodpecker , you may spot it in tree logs and stumps as well as full - grow trees . It ’s also fond to suet – if you populate up in the pot , be certain to train your feeder .
As their name suggests , the bloodless - channelize woodpecker has a startlingly blank header and font , with gorgeous black feathers , wings , and hind end . You ’ll be able to spy a male easy , as it has a red marking , or cap , on its head .
The white - headed woodpecker , as mention , tends to live out towards the Rocky Mountains and along the west coast . You wo n’t get hold them native anywhere else in the US , allow alone the continent !
Williamson’s Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus thyroideus
Size:8.3 – 9.8 in ( 21 – 25 centimeter )
The Williamson ’s sapsucker is a woodpecker that seems to be bouncing back from endangered status – thankfully ! These are brilliantly smart - colored birds – at least when it fall to males ! As with other sapsuckers , this bird will mirthfully drill its way into trees and leave courteous pits for birds to get sap out of . This sapsucker is also known to deplete ants and hemipteran out of the barque it sucks from , though this will normally occur when it is breeding . It does n’t have a favorite tree – it merrily pecks away in a mixture of woodland .
Interestingly , the males and females of this species often vary wildly – the male person is super burnished in colour , in terminal figure of a pitch-dark , sweeping coat with yellowness and reds to the front , while females are dimmer in shade , blob and often brown in coloring .
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Size:7.1 – 8.7 in ( 18 – 22 centimetre )
This woodpecker is a variety of bird that will gayly practice golf hole to drink in tasty cosh from within , something that ’s very welcoming to other species . These bird are middling similar to other sapsuckers in terms of behaviour and in terms of looks . icteric - bellied sapsucker run to be very unique drillers – you will likely recognize their staggered pecking if they go on upon Mrs. Henry Wood or metallic element near your one thousand . These snort are have intercourse for pecking and create nests passing high up – over 6,000 feet in the air .
As the name intimate , you will commonly be able-bodied to spot a yellow - belly out sapsucker for its hopeful abdomen , however , it often has a ruby crown and nucha , with stunning black and white bars and flecks down its organic structure , tail , and wings .
The Yellow - bellied Sapsucker is the most migratory peckerwood in the world , breeding as far north as easterly Arkansas and the northern boreal forest , and wintering as far in the south as Panama and the Caribbean . Much like other US aboriginal sapsuckers , this bird will normally be launch in timberland spots , though this species will transmigrate from the central plain and down in the mouth midwest south towards the west of the Appalachians .
How to Attract United States Woodpeckers to Your Yard
Want to see more woodpecker in your backyard ?
As you may see , there are more than a few wonderful woodpecker species to look out for across the US . Some may not cluster to gardens and backyards in favor of woodland and woodland reaches – however , there ’s a prospect a rare bird or two may make its way to you .
If you ’re keen to start out spotting pecker in your yard , why not take a looking at our guide onhow to attract woodpecker ? That ’ll give you the basic principle of what ’s involve to attract woodpeckers .
Then , we ’d recommend reading our buyer ’s guide onchoosing the best woodpecker feeder . Setting up a woodpecker feeder or two is the best way to guarantee that woodpeckers will visit your yard . While you ’re at it , do make certain to read our full guide onwhat to feed peckerwood , too – as getting their dieting right will make a lot of difference !
There are a clump of other ways to attract woodpeckers such asgetting a bird bathand planting native trees that woodpeckers love .
All State Woodpeckers
Want to see what woodpecker species are found in other states ? Here ’s our complete list of woodpeckers found in each state :
