Woodpecker drumming, SE Michigan USA (1 Viewer)

[The Lion Cub]

I am used to the quiet, one-peck-at-a-time sounds of the Downy, Hairy, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. So I was surprised to hear, a few minutes ago, a machine-gun like rapid pecking charictaristic to woodpeckers. I tried to get my camera to record the sound, but I couldn't find it. Each round of pecking lasted little more than a second, occuring 5-10 seconds apart from each other. I'm sure it wasn't a Pilated Woodpecker because I've heard their drumming in Florida, and it's much deeper and resounding than this was. I was wondering what species of woodpeckers drummed with the machine gun like rapidity. Sapsucker? Red-headed? Of course I'm assuming it's a species that's infrequent to the yard, but I don't know if Downies or Hairies machine-gun peck.

Thanks for any help!

 

[The Lion Cub]

I ran into him again, but even though I had my binoculars, he got away! I am sure he's little though, which makes me belive this is a Downy Woodpecker.

 

[Gretchen]

Seems a bit early I know, but I wonder if this could be the beginning of spring territorial drumming, which might be different than that heard at other times? Sorry I can't say I recognize any woodpeckers by their drumming though!

 

[Jim M.]

IIRC, on serious bird surveys in the East, they won't accept woodpecker ID's from drumming alone, because there's too much variability. I think the only exception may be for YBSA, which has a distinctive pattern where the taps slowly decelerate towards the end.

Best,
Jim

 

[spacepilot]

I remember reading in Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior that a study conducted in California showed that Downy, Hairy, and Nuttall's Woodpeckers and Northern Flicker could not be distinguished by drumming sound alone. The allaboutbirds website has drumming sound samples for Downy, Hairy and Red-bellied woodpecker, and they all sound pretty similar (machine-gun burst like) to me.

In northern Indiana, I've been hearing a lot of drumming in the woods as well in the last couple weeks. The makers of the sounds, when I could locate them, have been Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers.

Ning

 

[The Lion Cub]

Thanks guys, I'm guessing it was a Downy Woodpecker because he was most likely too small to be anything else.