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Hairy or Downy (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter craig whitmore
- Start date
Terry O'Nolley
Cow-headed Jaybird
It would help a lot if you could simply tell us how tall your feeder was because the size difference between the Downy and Hairy is 100% diagnostic and with a yardstick like feeder height to go on, the ID would be a snap.
The second picture seems to show a bill length that would point towards a Hairy Woodpecker.
The second picture seems to show a bill length that would point towards a Hairy Woodpecker.
craig whitmore
Well-known member
Terry O'Nolley said:
Terry: cage is 5x4.5x1.5--I've tried using size as tool as some days the rascals cover the cage and then, as today, only partialy. Size would indicate
downey, but the bill screwed me up. Also have a couple of acorn woodpeckers hanging out here, and they are about twice the size of this guy.
I'm going to take some more picture without using zoom so I can get aperature open wider and shutter faster.
Here is the origional photo before I cropt it
Craig
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Terry O'Nolley
Cow-headed Jaybird
If you are sure that the Acorn Woody was quite noticably larger, then that would make this one a Downy - as the Hairy is the same size as the Acorn.
But even Downys are supposed to be 6.5 inches long and on a 5.5 inch feeder that thing looks TINY!
But even Downys are supposed to be 6.5 inches long and on a 5.5 inch feeder that thing looks TINY!
Katy Penland
Well-known member
I think Downy, too, if the bill is no longer than what looks like a glump of suet on its tip. The flufft nasal tuft also looks more like Downy than Hairy. The bird's overall size is a little hard to judge, though, as it looks to me like it's hanging at quite an angle on the face of the suet cage; the nuthatch also doesn't appear to be on the same focal plane, so it makes relative size also a little difficult. But I'll still vote for Downy over Hairy. :t:
cavan wood
Well-known member
This one also has two black spots on the outer white tail feather. In the east that makes it a downy. Do western hairy ever have that? Despite the rather robust beak, it is short enough compared to the head for a downy.
Scott
Scott
alancairns
Well-known member
craig whitmore said:
This is certainly a downy woodpecker. It's beak isn't clearly seen, but from what I can see of it it is in Downy territory. The size is small. I have boh come to feeders like yours, and the hairies fit much less well.
Besides, it looks like a downy. They have different faces.
Alan
Katy Penland
Well-known member
Yep, "Pacific" Hairy Woodpeckers have black spots on the outer rectrices, which is why it's difficult to use that as a field mark unless the location of the bird is known. I also can't find just how far these tail-marked Hairies extend -- the entire NA Pacific coastal area and inland to the Rockies, or limited to west of the various "coastal" ranges (Sierra Nevada, Cascades, etc.). Anybody know?cavan wood said:
chubri777
Well-known member
We have them here in Eldorado County of Ca. I looked at a couple of Hairys today and the black spots on the outer rectrices appear to be only on the upper third of the feather and there is usually only one or two spots and also only on the inner half of the feather. I don't know if this helps, just my observation.
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