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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Great Spotted Woodpecker	Downy Woodpecker
Scientific Name	Dendrocopos major	Picoides pubescens
Order	Piciformes	Piciformes
Family	Picidae	Picidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern
Length	—	16.0 cm (6.3 in)
Wingspan	27.2 cm (10.7 in)	28.0 cm (11.0 in)
Weight	82.0 g (2.89 oz)	27.0 g (0.95 oz)
Diet	--	Insects and larvae extracted from bark, supplemented with seeds, berries, and suet at feeders. Often …
Clutch Size	4-8	--
Population Trend	—	—

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Size Comparison

Body Length

Great Spotted Woodpecker —

Downy Woodpecker 16.0 cm

Wingspan

Great Spotted Woodpecker 27.2 cm

Downy Woodpecker 28.0 cm

Weight

Great Spotted Woodpecker 82.0 g

Downy Woodpecker 27.0 g

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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Great Spotted Woodpecker only

🌲 Forest

Downy Woodpecker only

None

Downy Woodpecker

Deciduous and mixed forests, orchards, parks, and suburban areas. The most common woodpecker at feeders in North America.

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Song & Call Comparison

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Song

A sharp 'pik' or 'peek' contact call. Drums on resonant branches with a rapid, light tattoo — softer than larger woodpeckers. Also gives a high descending whinny 'keeer-keeer'.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

North America from Alaska and Canada south through the United States, excluding the arid Southwest.

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Least Concern

Downy Woodpecker

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How to Tell Them Apart

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Plumage

Black and white plumage with a broad white stripe down the back. Black wings with white spots. Males have a small red patch on the nape.

Bill

Short, chisel-shaped, dark bill — noticeably shorter than the similar hairy woodpecker

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About These Birds

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

The downy woodpecker is the smallest and most widespread woodpecker in North America. Its small size allows it to forage on thin branches and weed stems that larger woodpeckers cannot access. Downies often join mixed-species flocks in winter, benefiting from the extra vigilance of multiple species watching for predators.

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Related Comparisons

Common Nightingale vs Downy Woodpecker

look-alike

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More Birds to Explore

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