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White-headed Woodpecker

Picoides albolarvatus ORDER: PICIFORMES FAMILY: PICIDAE

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

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White-headed Woodpecker Photo

© Denny Mallory / CLO

The White-headed Woodpecker is a bird of the pine forests of the far western mountains where it makes a living digging into unopened pine cones and eating the seeds. It is the only North American bird that has a white head and a black body.

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Appearance

Woodpeckers
Woodpeckers
Typical Voice

Adult Description

  • Medium-sized woodpecker.
  • Body black.
  • Head white.
  • White patch in wings.

Immature Description

Juvenile resembles adult, but has a patch of red in the white on top of the head. Black is duller. White patch in wing is more broken.

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White-headed Woodpecker Range Map
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Similar Species

No other woodpecker has a black body and a white head.