8/5/2023 0 Comments Downy vs hairy woodpeckerSo, when you see that white vertical stripe on that black and white woodpecker, think “Sapsucker” and not “Downy” or “Hairy. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3-18-12 Central Park Tail: Barring on the outer tail feathers gives them a black-spotted appearance. Usually larger about 9.25 inches long, around the size of a robin. The female red-naped sometimes has a white chin, bordered by the red throat and then black. Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Size: Usually smaller about 6.5 inches long. They use to be considered the same species and will interbreed where their territories overlap. This is the Red-naped sapsucker of the west, which is similar to our eastern variety, yet differs in its red nape for which it is named and a few other subtle differences. So where is its yellow belly you ask? Well, you rarely get to see it since it is down between its legs and the bird is usually high in a the shade of a tree clinging to the bark with its belly pressed against the trunk!įemale Downy at my backyard feeder. Here is a good view of the Yellow-bellied sapsucker’s back. Notice how this Downy has black wings with white barring? Well, the first clue is that vertical white stripe on the folded wing. Thankfully, there are multiple ID features that you can use. Hairy Woodpecker can be a tricky ID when only seeing one of these species alone. I had my 70-300mm zoom extended as far as it would go, so how did I KNOW the bird I was seeing was a sapsucker? 141 2.4K views 1 year ago Downy Woodpecker vs. With little more than a glance, I knew I had my sapsucker. As the edge of the reservoir came into view I saw movement out of the corner of my eye high in some sort of deciduous tree. However, as we headed for the Jacquelyn Kennedy Onassis Reservoir to search for ducks and other water species we had to cross an area know as the Pinetum, which is an open park-like area with lots of tall pine trees mixed with deciduous trees. Bill: Downy woodpeckers have a short, nub-like bill that is less than half the length of their head, and the base may be obscured by fluffy rictal bristles. Though I searched high and low through the heavily wooded “Ramble” in Central Park I did not see a single sapsucker. While Downies do not migrate, sapsuckers do since their food source is seeds, fruit, sap, and the insects that get trapped in it. However, as soon as I saw this Downy, I started thinking that there should be Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers around also as migration was starting and with the warming weather, the sap was starting to run. So it was no surprise to find one on my recent trip to New York City in Central Park. As the smallest woodpecker in North America, this little cutie is familiar to even non-birders, with a nationwide distribution that extends up to Canada and Alaska. Their size ranges from 5.5 to 7 inches and they have a wingspan of 9.8 to 12.2 inches. We are all familiar with the adorable Downy Woodpecker most often seen at our backyard feeders. Hairy woodpeckersare considered to be medium-sized birds, measuring around 9.8 inches in length with a wingspan of roughly 15 inches, whereas downy woodpeckersare the smallestof all North American woodpeckers. Downy Woodpecker 1-1-2012 Andover Backyard
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