How to Identify Woodpeckers

What makes a woodpecker

Woodpeckers are built for life on tree trunks — they cling vertically, brace with stiff tail feathers, and hammer wood with strong, chisel-like bills. Their long tongues reach into crevices for insects. That upright, clinging posture on a trunk or feeder is your first clue that you're looking at a woodpecker.

The downy woodpecker

The downy woodpecker is the smallest and most common backyard woodpecker — just six to seven inches long, with a black-and-white checkered back and a white belly. The male has a small red patch on the back of his head. Downies are frequent visitors to suet feeders.

The hairy woodpecker

The hairy woodpecker looks nearly identical to the downy but is larger — about nine inches — with a longer, sturdier bill. Side by side, the size difference is clear. Hairy woodpeckers favor larger trees and are a bit less common at feeders than downies.

The red-bellied woodpecker

Despite its name, the red-bellied woodpecker's most obvious mark is the red on the back of its head and neck, with a pale face and a barred black-and-white back. It's a medium-sized, noisy woodpecker and a regular at suet feeders. Its rolling, chuckling call is distinctive.

The red-headed woodpecker

The red-headed woodpecker is unmistakable — its entire head is brilliant red, contrasting with a pure white body and black wings with white patches. It's less common than other woodpeckers, so spotting one is a treat. Look for it in open woodlands and orchards.

The pileated woodpecker

The pileated woodpecker is the giant of the family — nearly crow-sized, with a flaming red crest, black body, and white stripes on the face and neck. Its loud drumming and large, rectangular holes in trees are unmistakable signs. Seeing a pileated is a memorable moment for any birder.

Listen for the drumming

Woodpeckers "drum" — rapidly hammering on resonant wood to communicate and claim territory, especially in spring. The sound carries surprisingly far. Learning to recognize drumming tells you a woodpecker is nearby, even when you can't see it.

Attract woodpeckers

Suet is the surest way to attract woodpeckers, especially in fall and winter. They also visit for peanuts, sunflower seed, and mealworms. Mature trees, both living and dead, provide the insects and nesting sites they need. A suet feeder and a few trees will make your yard woodpecker-friendly.

Built to hammer

Woodpeckers are engineering marvels. Their skulls are reinforced to absorb the shock of hammering wood, their stiff tail feathers brace them against tree trunks, and their long, barbed tongues can reach deep into crevices for insects. Everything about them is built for a life of drilling.

Watching a woodpecker at work — methodically tapping, listening, and hammering — is a reminder of how perfectly adapted birds are to their way of life.

Woodpeckers need mature trees

Woodpeckers depend on trees — living and dead — for food, nesting, and drumming. Mature trees with some dead branches provide the insects and cavities they need. If you have old trees, resist the urge to remove every dead limb, since they're valuable woodpecker habitat.

A yard with a few mature trees, plus a suet feeder, is a woodpecker haven. These birds reward a little patience with steady visits and their fascinating behavior.

They nest in cavities

Woodpeckers are cavity nesters, and they excavate their own nest holes in dead or decaying trees — work that benefits many other species, which later use the abandoned holes. A single woodpecker's nest hole can become a home for bluebirds, chickadees, or squirrels in future seasons.