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is this a hairy woodpecker? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter amarsala
- Start date
Michael Frankis
conehead
Hi Andrew,
Welcome to BirdForum!
I'd say it's a Downy, going by the small bill and what I am guessing the size of the feeder to be.
Michael
Welcome to BirdForum!
I'd say it's a Downy, going by the small bill and what I am guessing the size of the feeder to be.
Michael
Charles Harper
Régisseur
Odds say never argue with Michael Frankis, but I think it looks a bit large (compared to the feeder-- what I conceive is a big rustic American one) for a Downy, and the head is a bit too long and angular. I can't see the bill well-- a combination of the perspective of her turned head, and the smallness of the image on my monitor, but females do have slightly smaller bills than males, of both species. A longish tail (granted, it's a longish view) and no barring on the outer tailfeathers (granted, a variable character). Hairy.
PS: Pardon my discourtesy. Welcome aboard BF, Andrew. Looking forward to more of your challenges.
PS: Pardon my discourtesy. Welcome aboard BF, Andrew. Looking forward to more of your challenges.
Warbler
Warbler Watcher
The first impression I got was that it was a larger bird. But looking at the bill (or what seems to be the bill) it seems rather short and now that I look at it again the bird isn't really that big. I'm leaning towards Downy right now, but it could very easily be a Hairy (hard to say for sure from angle of shot).
Katy Penland
Well-known member
Even though we don't know the size of your feeder, my first thought when I saw it was Hairy.
The head is turned away in this photo and the bill blends too much into the mortar crack in the background.
However, when I blew up the photo to get a look at the rectrices, there are no black spots which is diagnostic for Downy (except for Pacific coast Hairy). If this was shot in NJ, this is a Hairy.
The head is turned away in this photo and the bill blends too much into the mortar crack in the background.
However, when I blew up the photo to get a look at the rectrices, there are no black spots which is diagnostic for Downy (except for Pacific coast Hairy). If this was shot in NJ, this is a Hairy.
Katy,
The feeder is maybe 9" tall, the bird appears to be about 6" head to beak. This is shot in New Jersey on the Raritan Bay Coast. I have plenty of Downys around, but I 've never seen one with this pattern. My first thought was a young female hairy. I ll try to get a better picture.
Andrew
The feeder is maybe 9" tall, the bird appears to be about 6" head to beak. This is shot in New Jersey on the Raritan Bay Coast. I have plenty of Downys around, but I 've never seen one with this pattern. My first thought was a young female hairy. I ll try to get a better picture.
Andrew
Michael Frankis
conehead
Hi Amarsala,
That was about my guess for the feeder size, and makes the bird a Downy; sizes from the Sibley guide:
Downy 6¾"
Hairy 9¼"
Michael
That was about my guess for the feeder size, and makes the bird a Downy; sizes from the Sibley guide:
Downy 6¾"
Hairy 9¼"
Michael
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