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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut	Grey-crowned Woodpecker	Downy Woodpecker
Nom scientifique	Colaptes auricularis	Picoides pubescens
Ordre	Piciformes	Piciformes
Famille	Picidae	Picidae
Statut de conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern
Longueur	—	16,0 cm (6.3 in)
Envergure	23,9 cm (9.4 in)	28,0 cm (11.0 in)
Poids	63,125 g (2.23 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	2-4	--
Population Trend	—	—

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Size Comparison

Body Length

Grey-crowned Woodpecker —

Downy Woodpecker 16,0 cm

Envergure

Grey-crowned Woodpecker 23,9 cm

Downy Woodpecker 28,0 cm

Poids

Grey-crowned Woodpecker 63,125 g

Downy Woodpecker 27,0 g

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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Aucun(e)

Grey-crowned Woodpecker only

🌲 Forest

Downy Woodpecker only

Aucun(e)

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

Grey-crowned 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'.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Grey-crowned Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

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

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Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Grey-crowned Woodpecker

Least Concern

Downy Woodpecker

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How to Tell Them Apart

Grey-crowned 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

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About These Birds

Grey-crowned 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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