Downy Woodpecker vs Black-backed Woodpecker
Picoides pubescens comparé à Picoides arcticus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Downy Woodpecker | Black-backed Woodpecker |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Picoides pubescens | Picoides arcticus |
| Ordre | Piciformes | Piciformes |
| Famille | Picidae | Picidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 16,0 cm (6.3 in) | — |
| Envergure | 28,0 cm (11.0 in) | 25,8 cm (10.2 in) |
| Poids | 27,0 g (0.95 oz) | 72,85000000000001 g (2.57 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 | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Downy Woodpecker
Deciduous and mixed forests, orchards, parks, and suburban areas. The most common woodpecker at feeders in North 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'.
Black-backed Woodpecker
Geographic Range & Migration
Downy Woodpecker
North America from Alaska and Canada south through the United States, excluding the arid Southwest.
Black-backed Woodpecker
Statut de conservation
Downy Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker
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
Black-backed Woodpecker
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.
Black-backed Woodpecker
The Black-backed Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker of boreal conifer forests across North America, particularly specialist of recently burned forests. It has entirely black upperparts, white underparts with barring on the sides, and males have a yellow crown patch. It forages by flaking bark from dead trees to extract wood-boring beetle larvae that colonize burned timber.