Head to head
Downy Woodpecker vs Hairy Woodpecker
A downy woodpecker and a hairy woodpecker share such a similar black-and-white pattern that generations of birdwatchers have leaned on a single reliable clue, bill size, to tell one of North America's classic look-alike pairs apart.
| Downy Woodpecker | Hairy Woodpecker | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Dryobates pubescens | Dryobates villosus |
| Relative size | Smallest North American woodpecker | Noticeably larger |
| Bill | Short, delicate | Long, heavy, chisel-like |
| Preferred foraging spot | Thin twigs and small branches | Thick trunks and large limbs |
| Plumage pattern | Black-and-white, nearly identical | Black-and-white, nearly identical |
| Migration | Non-migratory | Non-migratory |
| Diet | Insects, larvae, seeds, suet | Insects and larvae from bark and wood |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Downy Woodpecker vs Hairy Woodpecker: common questions
What is the single best way to tell a downy woodpecker from a hairy woodpecker?
Bill size is the most reliable clue, since a hairy woodpecker has a proportionally longer, heavier, chisel-like bill compared with the downy woodpecker's much shorter, more delicate bill, a difference that holds up even though the two species otherwise share an almost identical black-and-white plumage pattern.
Do the downy woodpecker and hairy woodpecker compete for the same food?
Not directly, since the downy woodpecker forages mainly on thin twigs and small branches that its smaller size and lighter bill suit well, while the hairy woodpecker favours thicker trunks and larger limbs that require its heavier, more forceful bill, letting the two closely related species share the same forest without competing head-on for identical foraging spots.
Which of the two is more likely to visit a backyard feeder?
The downy woodpecker is generally the more frequent and familiar backyard feeder visitor of the two, readily coming to suet and seed feeders, though the hairy woodpecker will also visit feeders in areas with suitable nearby forest habitat.