Hairy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Adult female
- White back and black wings with white barring
- Black tail with white edges
- Stout, pointed bill
- Black and white face
- © ronaldok, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, January 2009
Hairy Woodpecker
Adult female
- Bill length almost as long as head
- © ronaldok, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, January 2009
Hairy Woodpecker
Adult male
- Red at rear of crown
- © Mark McMillan, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, June 2009
Hairy Woodpecker
Adult female western form
- White sides of tail lack black barring
- Fewer spots on upper part of wing than eastern form
- White stripes on face thinner than eastern form
- © cdbtx, WA, Monroe, October 2008
Hairy Woodpecker
Adult male
- White underparts
- Prominent black bar extending onto upper chest from shoulder
- © Brian Oyer, NY, February 2007
Hairy Woodpecker
Adult male
- Bill appears long and dagger-like
- © Neil D. Scott, IN, Evansville, February 2007
Hairy Woodpecker
Female/ immature
Hairy Woodpecker
Female/ immature
- White sides of tail lack black barring
- Bill is almost as long as head
- © Tammie Hache/PFW, February 2008
Hairy Woodpecker
Adult male
- Able to perch vertically on tree trunks and limbs
- Large white spots on wings (characteristic of eastern birds)
- Males have red spot at back of head
- © Gord Belyea/PFW, February 2007
Hairy Woodpecker
Adult male
- Unbarred whitish gray flanks
- White sides of tail lack black marks
- © Lyn Winans/PFW, January 2006
Similar Species
Adult female
- More patterned
- Black and white barred back
- White stripe on shoulder
- Red crown and forehead
- © Robert J. Baker, VA, March 2007
Adult female
- Smaller size
- Smaller, shorter bill (usually less than half the depth of the head)
- Usually black barring on white outer tail feathers
- Variation (in sexes and geographically) like Hairy
- © Ronaldok, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, December 2008
Adult with Downy Woodpecker
- Hairy Woodpecker (left) is larger then Downy Woodpecker (right)
- Downy has a shorter bill (usually less than half the length of the head)
- Hairy usually has all-white outer tail feathers
- © Nancy Loos, December 2006
Adult
- Range overlaps in southwestern U.S.
- Black and white barred back
- Spotted underparts
- © Joan Gellatly, Tucson, AZ, February 2009
Adult
- Uncommon; range overlaps in southeastern U.S.
- Black and white barred back
- White cheek, essentially no red on head
- Spotted flanks
- © Gerry Dewaghe, November 2006
Adult male
- Red on hind crown (no red on female)
- Black and white barred back, black wings with white spots
- Black and white striped face
- Spotting and barring on sides and flanks
- White forehead
- © encouragement, Placer Co., CA, February 2009