Hairy Woodpecker - Photos by Bruce Dayton - Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)

ORDER: Piciformes
FAMILY: Picidae (Woodpeckers - 23 Species)
SPECIES: Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)

Hairy Woodpecker
The Hairy Woodpecker is the most widespread resident woodpecker in North America. It is mainly a bird of the forest, but can be found in a variety of habitats. It is one of the most beneficial birds, helping to save both forest and fruit trees by destroying many harmful insects.
SIZE	The Hairy Woodpecker is a medium sized (8-10") woodpecker. The plumage pattern of the Hairy is almost identical to a Downy. The Hairy has a much larger bill than the Downy relative to the size of its head.
DESCRIPTION	The Hairy has black-and-white upperparts with a white stripe down the back and a white throat and belly. They have black inner tail feathers with white outer tail feathers. There is a white streak above and below the eye. Adult males have a red patch on the back of the head. Females and juveniles are similar but without the red head patch.
NESTING	Clutch size ranges from 3-5 eggs, which are incubated in 13 to 15 days. Both male and female excavate a nest cavity together, usually in a dead deciduous tree. Both parents participate in the incubation of the eggs.
RANGE	Reside throughout most of North America, from Alaska to southern Canada, throughout the lower 48 states to Central America. It is normally a permanent resident, but those in the extreme northern areas may migrate further south.
HABITAT	The typical habitat of Hairy Woodpeckers is mature coniferous forest, although they are common in hardwood and mixed forests. They require areas with larger, more mature trees, which provide a supply of insects.
DIET	The Hairy Woodpecker use its bill to dig into the tree bark to find insects, beetles, wasps, moths and larvae. They mainly eat insects but will also eat fruits, berries and nuts, sometimes tree sap from Sapsucker holes. The woodpecker's tongue is 3 to 4 times the length of its skull. The woodpecker uses its barbed tongue to probe the holes it makes and to scour out ants and other delicious insects.

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The images on this web page are copyrighted © 2003 - 2007 by Bruce Dayton. I want to share my photos to promote conservation and to help people identify and learn about the birds and other creatures that live with us on the North American continent. Please do not use any of my work in any non-profit or for-profit project without first getting written permission from me. You can ask for permission by emailing me at webmaster@wildlifeofnorthamerica.info. All reproductions must bear an appropriate credit.




Hairy Woodpecker

Groton Township Tompkins County, New York


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Sapsucker Woods Bird Sanctuary Tompkins County, New York


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Olive-backed Thrush Drawing by Louis Agassiz Fuertes


Female	Male