Downy Woodpecker vs Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Picoides pubescens compared with Amazona aestiva
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Downy Woodpecker | Turquoise-fronted Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Picoides pubescens | Amazona aestiva |
| Order | Piciformes | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Picidae | Psittacidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 16.0 cm (6.3 in) | 36.0 cm (14.2 in) |
| Wingspan | 28.0 cm (11.0 in) | 55.0 cm (21.7 in) |
| Weight | 27.0 g (0.95 oz) | 400.0 g (14.11 oz) |
| Diet | Insects and larvae extracted from bark, supplemented with seeds, berries, and suet at feeders. Often … | Seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, and flowers. Feeds in tree canopy in noisy flocks. Occasionally raids … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Downy Woodpecker
Deciduous and mixed forests, orchards, parks, and suburban areas. The most common woodpecker at feeders in North America.
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Tropical and subtropical forests, woodland, savanna, and palm groves in South America.
Song & Call Comparison
Downy Woodpecker
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'.
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Loud, raucous squawking and screaming calls. Capable of impressive vocal mimicry including human speech. Contact call is a rolling 'arr-arr'. Highly vocal in social groups.
Geographic Range & Migration
Downy Woodpecker
North America from Alaska and Canada south through the United States, excluding the arid Southwest.
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Interior of South America including Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and northern Argentina.
Conservation Status
Downy Woodpecker
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
How to Tell Them Apart
Downy Woodpecker
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.
Short, chisel-shaped, dark bill — noticeably shorter than the similar hairy woodpecker
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Green body with a turquoise-blue forehead, yellow face, and red and blue wing patches. Red at the bend of the wing visible in flight.
Strong, hooked, dark grey upper mandible with a paler lower mandible
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.
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
The turquoise-fronted amazon is one of the most popular pet parrots in the world, prized for its ability to mimic human speech and its engaging personality. In the wild, these sociable parrots roost communally in large flocks and fly in pairs to feeding sites at dawn. Habitat loss and trapping for the pet trade threaten wild populations.