Habitat: These woodpeckers can be found in woodlots, fields, and backyards. One may identify the woodpecker by pik-call, counting half a second between piks (a total of four must be heard). Male Downy Woodpecker feeding juvenile Male Downy Woodpecker feeding juvenile Male Downy Woodpecker feeding juvenile. Male (left) and female Downy Woodpecker by Ken Thomas, Wikimedia Commons and Kerry Wixted. The differences between the Downy and Hairy woodpecker are very subtle. In fact, Downy and Hairy woodpeckers are probably one of the most common cases of this. Similar Images . Similar Images . Also, the male Hairy’s red patch is often split in two, while the Downy’s is not. The Hairy prefers towering trees and deeper woods, while the Downy will settle for baby birches and cattails. Add to Likebox #127961705 - Great spotted Woodpecker sitting on … The female, on the left, lacks the malar stripe and her red crest stops about half … Add to Likebox #118502853 - Female Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) foraging on a dead.. #158855726 - Small North American male and female downy woodpecker on tree. While judging a bird’s size in the field can be difficult, it is useful to compare the bird’s length to nearby objects that can be measured, such as the size of a … An example of two species that fall into this category are the downy vs hairy woodpecker. Nests And Mating. You can see he has a red malar stripe, or moustache, a bright red crest and red feathering all the way down to the base of his bill. The male and female Downy Woodpecker feed separately during fall and on into the first part of winter. On the right, inset photo, is the male Pileated Woodpecker. That’s why we’re going to compare the downy and hairy woodpeckers, and … This species and the Downy Woodpecker are remarkably similar in pattern, differing mainly in size and bill shape. A male downy woodpecker searches for food. A few years ago I was alerted to a subtle difference in the head patterns of Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers when I read a short note by Mark Szantyr with a nod to Julian Hough in the journal The Connecticut Warbler. Lastly, it’s important to note that the Downy Woodpecker is much more abundant than its Hairy counterpart, especially in suburbia. Downy Woodpeckers actually add a lot of value to our ecosystem. Downy woodpeckers are small, only about 6-7 inches in length, while hairy woodpeckers are larger, usually 9-11 inches in length. Marie Read A female hairy woodpecker female and female downy woodpecker perch on same bird feeder.. Downy woodpeckers are among our most common backyard birds, but did you know they have a look-alike cousin: the hairy woodpecker?Telling downies apart from hairy woodpeckers can be a challenge, but once you know what to look for, it’s not so tough after all! In late winter, they’ll come together as a pair. They often occur together, but the Hairy, a larger bird, requires larger trees; it is usually less common, especially in the east, and less likely to show up in suburbs and city parks. He pointed out that Downy Woodpecker has a larger white patch on the sides of … A new clue for identifying Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers Read More » Oftentimes, they can be seen perching on reeds or goldenrod, attempting to extract larvae in plant galls. ... lacking in the female. The downy woodpecker's bill is shorter than its head, whereas the hairy woodpecker's bill is approximately equal to head length. By getting rid of the harmful insects, they actually protect trees and prolong their lives. The downy woodpecker gives a number of vocalizations, including a short pik call. The Downy Woodpecker is so similar in looks to the Hairy Woodpecker, that when seen together, they are often confused as the male and female of a single species. Diet: