Fraulein ash
Woodpecker stalker
I'm not sure if this thread is in the right place since I'm not actually questioning if he is a Hairy Woodpecker or not, I'm just questioning if it is the SAME Hairy in both photos.
This young Hairy has been visiting our feeders for a while now and he always comes alone. I feel like he's probably a juvenile because his spot on his head is more rust colored and not red like I've seen in photos of adult male Hairy's? He also looks kind of thin, very disheveled and rough, so I thought maybe his adult plumage hadn't grown in yet. I wonder where his parents or siblings are... did they die? Or is he coming alone because this is his new established territory of his own?
Anyways! This morning he came... only his rust colored head was now RED?? How can that be?? I figured it would take more than 3 days for a rust colored spot to turn red, surely? I don't know enough about birds to know if their feathers can actually change colors or if the bird has to actually grow new feathers of a different color.
Here are my two best photos that show the top of his head... the red was taken this morning and the rust was taken 3 days ago. Is this the same bird, or do I have TWO Hairy friends??
This young Hairy has been visiting our feeders for a while now and he always comes alone. I feel like he's probably a juvenile because his spot on his head is more rust colored and not red like I've seen in photos of adult male Hairy's? He also looks kind of thin, very disheveled and rough, so I thought maybe his adult plumage hadn't grown in yet. I wonder where his parents or siblings are... did they die? Or is he coming alone because this is his new established territory of his own?
Anyways! This morning he came... only his rust colored head was now RED?? How can that be?? I figured it would take more than 3 days for a rust colored spot to turn red, surely? I don't know enough about birds to know if their feathers can actually change colors or if the bird has to actually grow new feathers of a different color.
Here are my two best photos that show the top of his head... the red was taken this morning and the rust was taken 3 days ago. Is this the same bird, or do I have TWO Hairy friends??