Every morning this guy comes to my feeder which makes me very happy after I listened to him all summer at that tree with the holes in it. There is another woodpecker that comes too that is bigger than this one but the same color so I am not sure why the difference in size since they look exactly the same otherwise. Maybe someone can explain this riddle to me
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Here's my try without looking it up...I think it's a ladderback woodpecker and the larger would be a redheaded woodpecker, which is about 3" inches larger than the ladderback. If it is way bigger it would be a piliated woodpecker. Now off to check the bird sites to check myself.
OK I was off by one. The smallest which is at the feeder in the picts is a downy woodpecker, the next size up is the ladder back, and the largest is the piliated. I haven't seen a red-headed woodpecker in quite awhile so couldn't remember if the females are as "spotted" as your guy is, it most definitely couldn't have been a male red-headed as their whole head and part of the neck is red.
So, how as that for a mini ornathology lesson. Good night
You haven't had problems anymore with bears at your feeders?
Yep you are right about the Downey but I have never heard of a ladderback, thanks for checking for me! I didn't know about the red on the head either, I thought any red made it a male and none would be a female.
Thanks I knew one of you girls would know the answer.
No Bears except the one that lives in the house still. I don't have as much woods as you, I get a lot of squirrels and doves though
I checked the bird book we have at work, the Downey is 6" and what I have at the feeder all the time, there is a 9" called a Hairy woodpecker that looks exactly like the downey, I could not find one called a ladderback in the book
I go to what bird.com and just line up all the ones I think they are and make the comparison. The Ladder back has too many speckles the other three have a big white splotch on their back between the wings. OK I'm done now.
Kristen,
You are right...
The little one is the Downy (Piocoides Pubescens) and the big guy is the Hairy (Piocoides Villosus). They are not closely related but have almost identical plumage patterns...
Wow I am right!!! Good to know, I can sleep better tonight
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