Hairy Woodpecker

Overview

The hairy woodpecker (Dryobates villosus, formerly Leuconotopicus villosus) is a medium-sized woodpecker found across a large area of North America. With an estimated population of nearly nine million individuals, it is classified by the IUCN as a species of least concern.

Identification

• Medium-sized bird measuring 18–26 cm in length, virtually identical in plumage to the smaller downy woodpecker.
• Adults have mainly black upper parts and wings with white spotting, a white or pale back, and a white bar above and below the eye.
• Distinguished from the downy woodpecker by a longer bill relative to head size and the absence of spots on the white outer tail feathers.
• Adult males possess a red patch or two side-by-side patches on the back of the head.

Habitat

This species inhabits mature deciduous forests ranging from the Bahamas and Canada to Central America, including Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. It is a vagrant to Puerto Rico and the Turks and Caicos Islands, with most birds being permanent residents, though those in extreme northern or mountainous regions may migrate or move to lower elevations.

Diet

Hairy woodpeckers forage on trees by turning over bark or excavating to uncover insects, which form the main part of their diet. They also consume fruits, berries, nuts, and occasionally tree sap.

Did you know?

This bird is a significant predator of the European corn borer, a moth that costs the US agriculture industry more than $1 billion annually in crop losses and population control.