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How to Tell a Hairy Woodpecker From a Downy Woodpecker
Size and tail color are two of the biggest clues when deciphering these two backyard regulars.
Hairy (left) and Downy Woodpecker. Photo: Kristina Deckert
What鈥檚 black and white and red all over? Both Hairy and the Downy Woodpeckers, unfortunately. It鈥檚 easy to find these woodpeckers out in the woods (just like you聽find shorebirds on the shore), but an early identification challenge for new birders is distinguishing between these two common species. Though they鈥檙e very similar, there are some key differences to look out for.
First, check for the major difference in bill size. The Downy鈥檚 bill is dainty and about one-third the length of the bird鈥檚 head. The Hairy鈥檚 bill is a railroad spike in comparison, and almost as long as the its head.
If the bill is not in view鈥攖he bird is usually facing a tree, after all鈥攎ove on to what is perhaps the best clue: overall size. The Downy is a little over six inches tall, while the Hairy is almost 50 percent taller.
Spying this three-inch difference across a meadow or a yard can be hard at first. You have two options. You could glue rulers to every tree and feeder in sight, or you could remember that a Downy is about the size of a House Sparrow,聽while the Hairy is about the size of a robin.
Don鈥檛 worry, it gets easier with practice. Imagine if someone were holding up a silver teaspoon and a silver tablespoon. Up close, the two are easy to tell apart, even though they鈥檙e the same basic shape and color. But at a distance of 40 feet or more, the difference in length becomes less obvious.
As your woodpecker moves around, you鈥檒l be able to judge its size in relation to other objects (leaves, branches, etc.). Over time the size will become more familiar to you, and you won鈥檛 need to lean on the surrounding visuals.
More subtle clues include the Hairy鈥檚 all-white outer tail feathers, compared to the Downy鈥檚 spotted ones. Also, the male Hairy鈥檚 red patch is often split in two,聽while the Downy鈥檚 is not.
Lastly, it鈥檚 important to note that the Downy Woodpecker is much more abundant than its Hairy counterpart, especially in suburbia. The Hairy prefers towering trees and deeper woods, while the Downy will settle for baby birches and cattails.