{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Downy Woodpecker	Northern Sooty Woodpecker
Scientific Name	Picoides pubescens	Mulleripicus funebris
Order	Piciformes	Piciformes
Family	Picidae	Picidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Near Threatened
Length	16.0 cm (6.3 in)	—
Wingspan	28.0 cm (11.0 in)	32.2 cm (12.7 in)
Weight	27.0 g (0.95 oz)	161.0 g (5.68 oz)
Diet	Insects and larvae extracted from bark, supplemented with seeds, berries, and suet at feeders. Often …	--
Clutch Size	--	--
Population Trend	—	—

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length

Downy Woodpecker 16.0 cm

Northern Sooty Woodpecker —

Wingspan

Downy Woodpecker 28.0 cm

Northern Sooty Woodpecker 32.2 cm

Weight

Downy Woodpecker 27.0 g

Northern Sooty Woodpecker 161.0 g

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Downy Woodpecker only

None

Northern Sooty Woodpecker only

🌲 Forest

Downy Woodpecker

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

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

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'.

Northern Sooty Woodpecker

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Downy Woodpecker

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

Northern Sooty Woodpecker

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Downy Woodpecker

Near Threatened

Northern Sooty Woodpecker

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

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

Northern Sooty Woodpecker

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

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.

Northern Sooty Woodpecker

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Related Comparisons

Common Nightingale vs Downy Woodpecker

look-alike

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

More from Picidae

Abyssinian Woodpecker Dendropicos abyssinicus Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus African Piculet Verreauxia africana American Three-Toed Woodpecker Picoides dorsalis All Picidae birds →

Explore the Nature FYI Family

🧬 SpeciesFYI

Species & Taxonomy

🦕 DinoFYI

6,000+ Dinosaurs

🐟 FishFYI

Fish & Marine Life

🌿 PlantFYI

379,000+ Plants