Downy or a Hairy? MA, USA (1 Viewer)

craftygirl

Well-known member

• Sep 7, 2008

• #1

I can't tell if this is a Downy woodpecker or a Hairy woodpecker. Don't recall hearing its voice at all. I know there's a size difference between the two species, but I don't know enough to make a decent judgement.

 

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MLoyko

d[-_-]b

• Sep 7, 2008

• #2

Downy. Look at the short bill compared to the length of the head. I believe Downy's is half the length of the head and Hairy is the same length as the head, pretty sure but no positive!

But your picture is a Downy!

-Matt

 

OntBirder

Well-known member

• Sep 7, 2008

• #3

I agree with Matt.

 

craftygirl

Well-known member

• Sep 7, 2008

• #4

Thanks guys! I was hesitant to guess at the size of the bill because it seems like he's holding his head at a strange angle in relation to the camera.

 

rjackb

Well-known member

• Sep 7, 2008

• #5

Funny to see this because I was just reading about how to distinguish the two this afternoon in one of Sibley's books. Besides bill length, one of the ways was dark bars on the white, outer tail feathers of a Downy, which this bird has (though Sibley says a Hairy might have them in Newfoundland or the U.S. Pacific Northwest).

Jack

 

Last edited: Sep 7, 2008

jcwings

Well-known member

• Sep 8, 2008

• #6

Compare bill size with this Hairy I digiscoped in the spring:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/almiyi/2443976494/