Hairy from Downy by Size and Bill
It's surprisingly hard to judge a bird's size if you don't have a familiar bird next to it for comparison. (But this story is for beginning birders rather than experts.)
Hairy Woodpecker and Downy Woodpecker look a lot alike. Here are some ways to tell them apart.
Size
A Hairy and a Downy Woodpecker kindly landed on my feeder together and gave me a chance to compare them. Of course, Hairy Woodpecker is much bigger than Downy and weighs over twice as much. Seeing them side by side, a person really couldn’t get them wrong.
However, if you encounter one of them by itself, without another bird for comparison it’s hard to judge the size.
Bill
So look at the proportion of the bill to the head. I mentally turn the bill around and see how far it would reach back across the face. The Hairy has a huge, honkin’ bill. It’s more than half the width of the head. The Downy has a tiny bill, which is less than half the width of the head.
Short bill? "Downy."
Long bill? "Hairy."
Nose hairs
Also look at the tuft of hairs at the base of the bill. Downys usually have tuftier “nose hairs.” If the tuft almost swallows the bill, it’s probably a Downy.
Outer tail feathers
All white? Probably a Hairy Woodpecker.
White with some black spots? Almost certainly a Downy.
For more on this field mark, see my post.
Use everything!
Often you know at a glance whether a woodpecker is a Hairy or a Downy. But not always. The identifying traits, or field marks, are not absolute with these two species. Sometimes a woodpecker has a bill that is sort of in-between. Some Downy’s don’t show any white spots on the tail. It’s a good idea to consider each field mark and see if you get a greater preponderance of evidence for one species than for the other.
Have you found ways that work well for you in telling these species apart? I welcome and appreciate your comments. Click the “thought bubble” icon below and share your ideas.
Hi Diane
Have you thought of creating a beginner's guide...especially for children through posts like these? Are the Singing Cedars teachers aware of them?
all blessings, jennifer