That bright red crest is one of the first things people notice when they see a pileated woodpecker. Pileated woodpecker: Though the pronunciation of the word pileated can vary depending on which birder you ask, the word itself means crested. Look for them at Pete’s Pond, Veterans Park and Chagrin River Park. They are common in localized pockets throughout the area. Juvenile birds have a dark gray head and obtain red plumage when they reach adulthood. They are the only woodpecker found in Ohio that’s not sexually dimorphic, meaning males and females look the same. Bright red head, black body with white wingtips, and a white belly, the red-headed woodpecker is often found near bodies of water where they prefer dead trees. Red-headed woodpecker: The red-headed woodpecker is a sleek bird with large blocks of non-patterned color. These holes, once abandoned by the woodpecker, are an important habitat for cavity nesters that can’t make their own holes.

Like other woodpeckers, they nest in cavities that they excavate. An overall tan woodpecker with a black and white back makes them almost appear to be wearing a tweed jacket. Their namesake red belly is often hidden from view based on how they perch, so they are more easily identified by overall plumage pattern which is unlike any other woodpeckers in the region. Red-bellied woodpecker: Easily the second most common woodpecker (next to the downy) found in our area is the red-bellied. Also like the downy, hairy woodpeckers found in the western U.S. It’s common to see half a dozen downys in your backyard, but you’ll probably not see more than one hairy, if you see any at all. The hairy’s range is roughly the same as the downy’s, but they are far less numerous. However, the hairy is much larger in size and has a longer bill (its length is about the same as its head). Hairy woodpecker: The hairy woodpecker, in terms of plumage pattern, is nearly identical to the downy. Males can be identified by the red spot on the back of their heads, which females lack.

Their small size (not much bigger than a titmouse or nuthatch) enables them to nab small food that other woodpeckers wouldn’t be able to get to. Speckled in black and white, downy woodpeckers are common visitors to backyard feeders. Let’s take a closer look at these interesting birds:ĭowny woodpecker: The smallest and most widespread woodpecker in North America, the downy can be found in 49 of the 50 states, and nearly every Canadian province. In all, there are seven woodpeckers found here in Ohio, five of which are permanent residents. Woodpeckers also have special adaptations in the structure of their skulls to protect their brains while they peck the sides of trees. This makes gripping the side of a tree much easier. This means instead of having three toes facing forward, and one facing backward like most birds, they have two toes (their first and fourth) facing backward, while the other two toes face forward. Woodpeckers have some truly unique adaptations strong legs help them perch to the side of a vertical surface sturdy, stiff tail feathers help support their weight, acting as a sort of kickstand.

Woodpeckers are a large and very diverse group of birds and are found throughout the world on nearly every continent. These cool birds that seem to stand on the side of a tree while they peck away at the bark have captured the imagination of many across the world. Woodpeckers are some of the most adored visitors to our backyards.

Downy woodpecker sounds