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

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut	Cream-backed Woodpecker	Downy Woodpecker
Nom scientifique	Campephilus leucopogon	Picoides pubescens
Ordre	Piciformes	Piciformes
Famille	Picidae	Picidae
Statut de conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern
Longueur	—	16,0 cm (6.3 in)
Envergure	36,2 cm (14.3 in)	28,0 cm (11.0 in)
Poids	242,0 g (8.54 oz)	27,0 g (0.95 oz)
Régime alimentaire	--	Insects and larvae extracted from bark, supplemented with seeds, berries, and suet at feeders. Often …
Taille de la couvée	--	--
Population Trend	—	—

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

Size Comparison

Body Length

Cream-backed Woodpecker —

Downy Woodpecker 16,0 cm

Envergure

Cream-backed Woodpecker 36,2 cm

Downy Woodpecker 28,0 cm

Poids

Cream-backed Woodpecker 242,0 g

Downy Woodpecker 27,0 g

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

Song & Call Comparison

Cream-backed Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Chant

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'.

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

Geographic Range & Migration

Cream-backed Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

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

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

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Cream-backed Woodpecker

Least Concern

Downy Woodpecker

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

How to Tell Them Apart

Cream-backed 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.

Bec

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

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

About These Birds

Cream-backed 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.

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

Related Comparisons

Common Nightingale vs Downy Woodpecker

look-alike

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

More Birds to Explore

More from Picidae

Bennett's Woodpecker Campethera bennettii Sulu Pygmy Woodpecker Picoides ramsayi Kaempfer's Woodpecker Celeus obrieni Splendid Woodpecker Campephilus splendens All Picidae birds →

Explore the Nature FYI Family

🧬 SpeciesFYI

Species & Taxonomy

🦕 DinoFYI

6,000+ Dinosaurs

🐟 FishFYI

Fish & Marine Life

🌿 PlantFYI

379,000+ Plants