Experts say these birds inherited this title after the extinction of the ivory-billed woodpecker. Pileated WoodpeckerĪs far as size is concerned, pileated woodpeckers are the biggest species of woodpeckers in North America. But if it gets bitterly cold, they might be forced to head south. Hairy woodpeckers aren’t limited to certain areas in Michigan, meaning you can find them all over the state in moderately forested areas. Like their downy cousins, hairies aren’t migratory birds and can typically handle Michigan’s winter without any problems. They can, however, be run off by starling and sparrows. As long as there are trees they can nest in and gather food from, they’re good to go. The hairy woodpecker is a very adaptable bird, which is why you can find massive swarms of them all over North America. Hairy woodpeckers are super energetic compared to their cousins from other species and are also very powerful in terms of drilling and excavating trees, as they love scavenging for insect larvae. Hairy woodpeckers flaunt a very similar striping pattern to the downy woodpeckers, however, hairies are larger and less common than the downies. Scientific Name: Leuconotopicus villosus.If you’re anywhere near the southern half of the state’s lower peninsula, you’re guaranteed to find swarms of red-bellied woodpeckers there. Generally, wherever deciduous trees grow in Michigan, this woodpecker is most likely nearby.Īlthough the red-bellied isn’t a migratory woodpecker, it can be forced to head south if the weather gets too harsh in Michigan. The red-bellied woodpecker is often found in woodland areas, but it’s not uncommon to find one in a suburban area.
If you take a look at a picture of the two, however, you’ll notice that they’re actually very different from one another.Īs the name implies, this tiny fellow sports a red hue on its belly, but this can sometimes be so faint that it’s not even noticeable, which is one reason why distinguishing this species from their downy cousins may prove to be difficult. The stripes on the red-bellied woodpecker, however, are found in a random zig-zagged fashion while the ones on the downy are a bit more uniform.Īlso getting confused for our red-bellied friend is the red-headed woodpecker since the males of the former species have red heads as well. Red-bellied woodpeckers look somewhat like downies, as they have similar black and white stripes on their backs, and the males have red heads. Males stand out from females by having a red spot on their heads. This species has distinctive black and white patterns on their bodies with white spots covering their black wings. This makes sense, as these birds are often found living in dead trees as well. The downy woodpecker is a sucker for seeds and nuts, which is why you’ll probably see one or two of them around your feeders, especially those that are intended to attract hummingbirds.ĭowny woodpeckers are also quite fond of insects, and they like to hammer away at dead trees to find them. This small fellow doesn’t find Michigan’s harsh winters to be problematic, so it’s not a migratory bird you can easily spot downy woodpeckers throughout the entire year in Michigan and other states. The downy woodpecker is the tiniest and most common species of woodpeckers in all of North America. Let’s jump right into it! Downy Woodpecker Some of them are year-round residents, while others tend to migrate. In this post, we highlight all eight of those species so that you know what to look for next time you find yourself in the Great Lake State. In total, eight species of woodpeckers can be found in Michigan. Even public parks like Old Mission Lighthouse Park, Sleepy Hollow State Park, and Lincoln Brick Park are excellent spots for woodpecker watching, especially if you’re hoping to see the red-headed woodpecker.
#DOWNY WOODPECKER SCIENTIFIC NAME FULL#
The great state of Michigan is full of pine forests, woodland swamps, and other spots like these that are perfect habitats for woodpeckers.
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