Less defined or non existent comma markingĪlthough these birds have strikingly similar color patterns and behaviors, with the right knowledge they can be very easy to tell apart. Note the small bill, lack of extended “comma” mark and barring on the outer tail feathers of this Downy Woodpecker While at a distance these two things can be hard to spot, closer up or with optics, both field markings can be used to differentiate these two woodpeckers. The second marking to look for is the black barring on the white other tail feathers of the Downy Woodpecker that the Hairy Woodpecker lacks. This marking is seen most prominently on the Hairy Woodpecker and is often not visible at all on the Downy. The Hairy Woodpecker (left) is the larger of two lookalikes, but is still a small but powerful bird that forages along trunks and main branches of large trees. The first is a comma mark that goes from the shoulder to the breast. There are two field markings that can be used to separate the Hairy Woodpecker from the Downy Woodpecker. What’s more, by comparing those results to encounters between other like species, the researchers were able to confirm that Hairys were particularly aggressive toward Downys in tight conditions. Note the long bill and clean outer tail feathers of this Hairy Woodpecker Researchers found that out of 56 interactions, Hairys displaced Downys 96 percent of the time. Bill size comparison is much easier than overall size comparison when there are no direct comparisons available in the field. The Downy Woodpecker has a shorter more triangular bill about one third to one half the size of the length of the bird’s head. The Hairy Woodpecker has a longer bill that is about equal in size to the length of the head. The second and possibly best way to tell the Hairy Woodpecker from the Downy Woodpecker is by looking at the bill. While size isn’t always the most reliable tool when identifying a species, the difference between these two birds is fairly substantial. This means that the Hairy Woodpecker is approximately one third bigger than a Downy Woodpecker and is about the size of a Red-bellied Woodpecker in size. The Downy Woodpecker measures in at 14-18cm long on average and a wingspan of 25-30cm. They have a long white stripe down the middle of the back not seen on the barred backs of Red-bellied Woodpeckers. The Hairy Woodpecker is larger than the downy with an average length of 18-26cm and a wingspan of 33-41cm. Overview ID info Life History Maps Sounds Identification Photo Gallery Similar Species Similar Species Downy Woodpecker Male (Eastern) Downy Woodpeckers are smaller than Red-bellied Woodpeckers. The first thing that helps to differentiate these species is size. At first glance it may seem impossible to tell these two birds apart, but upon closer inspection there are some tell tale differences that birders can use to make a positive identification. Both are black and white with almost identical patterns, and both can be found in the same habitat. Hairy Woodpeckers have a somewhat soldierly look, with their erect, straight. Hopping up and down trees across North America are two very similar woodpecker species: the Hairy Woodpecker and the Downy Woodpecker. It wields a much longer bill than the Downy Woodpeckers almost thornlike bill.
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