Top 7 Types of Woodpeckers in Ohio (ID Guide With Pictures)

Ohio is a great place for woodpeckers lovers, with eleven different species found here. You can see these birds in many places, like open fields, forests, and even cities. This variety makes Ohio a perfect spot for birdwatching.

Let’s go on an adventure to learn about Ohio’s woodpeckers. We’ll cover how to identify them, their behaviors, and where they live. This guide will help you become a woodpecker expert. So, get ready to explore the world of these amazing birds in Ohio.

1. Downy Woodpecker

The downy woodpecker is the smallest and most common woodpecker in North America. It stands out with its black and white feathers. The bird has a black head, white bars on the sides, and white underparts. Males have a red patch on their heads, while young birds have a red cap.

Range and Habitat

Downy woodpeckers live all year in most of the United States and Southern Canada. They even reach as far as Southern Alaska but not into the Southeastern US or Mexico. These birds love to live in forests, open woods, and areas with lots of bushes.

Diet and Foraging Behavior

Downy woodpeckers eat mostly insects like ants and caterpillars. They also enjoy seeds, grains, berries, and nuts. These birds are great at finding food on trees and under the bark. They help control pests by eating many harmful insects.

2. Red-bellied Woodpecker

The red-bellied woodpeckers are bright and beautiful birds found in Ohio woodlands and forests. It has black upperparts with white bars and gray underparts with a reddish tint on the belly. The male has a bright red cap, while the female has a red nape and a red patch above the bill.

These woodpeckers make a lot of noise, from a loud trill to a churr-churr-churr. They eat insects, spiders, and other invertebrates, as well as seeds and nuts. They love the diverse habitats of Ohio.

Red-bellied woodpeckers are common in Ohio and their numbers are stable and growing. They have moved into areas with people and enjoy visiting backyard feeders. They are great additions to Ohio’s bird community.

3. Hairy Woodpecker

The hairy woodpecker looks a lot like the downy woodpecker but is bigger with a longer bill. To tell them apart, check the outer tail feather. The hairy woodpecker’s tail feather is plain white, while the downy’s is spotted.

Hairy woodpeckers are about a third bigger than downy ones. They look more robust because of their size.

Distinguishing Features from the Downy Woodpecker

Hairy woodpeckers and downy ones look similar but have key differences. Hairy woodpeckers have longer bills and plain white outer tail feathers. Downy woodpeckers have spotted feathers there.

There are also regional differences. Northern birds are usually bigger. Eastern birds have more white on their black wings.

Range and Habitat Preferences

Hairy woodpeckers live in many places, like mature forests and open woodlands. They’re common in Ohio, especially in the west. You can also find them in suburbs, parks, and cemeteries.

They like areas with lots of bark beetles too.

Foraging Habits and Diet

Hairy woodpeckers eat mostly insects. They go after bark beetles, corn borers, and moths to control infestations. They also eat ants, bees, wasps, spiders, and other bugs.

They eat some plant foods like seeds and berries too. They drill into trees to get to their insect food.

4. Pileated Woodpecker

The pileated woodpecker is a large bird in North America, reaching lengths of nearly 20 inches. It has mostly black feathers with white stripes from its face to its throat. The bird also sports a dark red crest. These woodpeckers are famous for their loud calls and drumming on dead trees.

Identification and Appearance

Male pileated woodpeckers stand out with their bright red crest and a white stripe on their face and neck. They also have a red stripe on their cheek. Females have a similar red crest but no red cheek stripe. Both have black feathers with white stripes on their face and throat. Their large white wing patches are visible when they fly.

Habitat and Range

Pileated woodpeckers live in big, old forests, especially those with hardwoods and deciduous trees. They also like mixed woodlands, woodlots, and parks with big trees. These birds can live in many wooded places, even near human homes. In areas with big trees and woods, they form pairs and protect their territory all year.

5. Northern Flicker

The northern flicker, also known as the common flicker, is a medium-sized bird. It belongs to the woodpecker family under the Colaptes genus. There are two subspecies: the Yellow-shafted and the Red-shafted. They differ in the color of their tail and wing feathers. These birds have a lighter underside, darker wings, and large black spots.

Yellow-shafted and Red-shafted Subspecies

Male Yellow-shafted flickers have a black “whisker” marking by the bill, grey on the top of their head, and a red patch. On the other hand, male Red-shafted flickers have a red whisker marking. Females of both subspecies lack the whisker marking.

Identification and Plumage

Northern flickers are one of the few North American woodpeckers that migrate. Birds in the northern parts move south for the winter. The red-shafted and yellow-shafted forms of Northern Flickers were once considered different species. Now, they hybridize extensively in a wide zone from Alaska to the panhandle of Texas.

Foraging Behavior and Diet

Northern flickers eat a variety of insects, fruits, seeds, and nuts. They forage on the ground and in trees, especially for ants. Flickers often stay in Ohio to breed and overwinter. The spring migration of northern flickers in Ohio peaks in mid-April.

6. Red-headed Woodpecker

The red-headed woodpecker is a beautiful bird found in the eastern United States, including Ohio. It’s a medium-sized bird known for its bright red head, sharp grey bill, and white underparts. Its black upperparts have a white rump and big white patches on the wings.

Appearance and Identification

This woodpecker stands out with its bright plumage. Its red head and neck, white breast, and black back and wings are eye-catching. The sharp grey beak and large white patches on the wings help identify it.