Maryland Woodpeckers
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We have five fairly common woodpecker species in Maryland throughout the year, though some are mis-identified by people new to birding. So today we will look at these species. I am using several images from a free, public domain, web site called Wikimedia Commons. I am also including one of my own videos, and an audio file or two.
Let's start with one of the most common woodpeckers, one that in my experience is commonly called by the wrong name. This photo is not a red-headed woodpecker, but a Red-Bellied Woodpecker. Never mind the fact that even with a good view of the belly you may only see a pale reddish wash on its stomach. This one is a female (the male would have more red that also covers the very top of the head). It is almost robin-sized. Listen to the audio files on the linked site, so you can be aware of when it is around. |
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Red-headed Woodpeckers, at least for me, are much less common in my birding excursions. I happened to see a pair this weekend, but that is only the 4th time in 25+ years in my county, Queen Anne's, which is just over the bridge.
These are a spectacularly beautiful bird, esp. in flight. It looks like they are wearing a red hood. Their size, and call, is similar to the Red-Bellied. One of them visited this tree with holes, so it is possible it's the home for a nest this year. I recorded some of its calls. |
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Possibly the one you are most familiar with is the Downy Woodpecker. Our smallest species (only a bit over 6 inches tall), it often visits bird feeders, and in winter often seems to travel around with loose flocks of chickadees and tufted titmice.
Like many other woodpecker species, the male has more red coloration on the head than the female; with this species, the female has no red feathers. Notice how small the beak/bill is. Compare it to the next, very similar species. |
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Another fairly common species, which is very similar to the Downy Woodpecker, but about 60% larger, is the Hairy Woodpecker. It is closer in size to the Red-bellied and Red-headed species. Like the Downy, only the male has any red feathers on the head.
One good way to identify is as a hairy, and not downy, woodpecker, is to look at the length of the beak/bill, compared to the width of the head. The beak is thick, and almost as long as the head is wide from front to back. A Downy beak is much shorter compared to its head. |
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By far, our largest woodpecker species is the Pileated Woodpecker. About the size of a crow, it is one of the largest woodpecker species in the world.
My video here is from earlier this spring. The photo is from this weekend, from the yard of a friend. |
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