Hispaniolan Woodpecker Bird – non passerine land bird

This is a male Hispaniolan Woodpecker that was photographed in the Dominican Republic.

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Hairy Woodpecker Bird – Nonpasserines Land Bird – 5/16/2010 to 5/13/2015

The male Hairy Woodpecker was photographed at the Wehr Nature Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The female Hairy Woodpecker was photographed at the Bong State Recreational Area in Kansasville, Wisconsin.

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Select this link to see comparison Downy Woodpecker photos

The Hairy Woodpecker are checkered and spotted with black and white and a white back, breast and undersides. The male has a small red patch on the back of the head. The Hairy is like a large Downy and it has a bill larger in comparison to the Downy’s. The Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers are the only Woodpeckers with a white back. It has a range from Alaska and Canada to Panama. It has a habitat of forests, woodlands, river groves, and large shade trees. It feeds mostly on seeds and insects. It is less common and likely to show up in suburbs and city parks.

 

 

Red Headed Woodpecker Bird – Nonpasserines Land Bird – 6/12/2013

The Red-Headed Woodpecker was photographed at Lake Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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The Red-Headed Woodpecker is a black-backed Woodpecker with a head that is entirely red, and with a white rump and large square white patches on the wings. It has a range east of the Rockies from southern Canada to the Gulf States. It has a habitat in groves, farm country, orchards, shade trees in towns, and large scattered trees. Its diet consists of a wide variety of insects, spiders, earthworms, nuts, seeds, berries, and wild and cultivated fruit. It can usually be heard, found and seen around dead trees.

 

Red Bellied Woodpecker Bird – Nonpasserine land birds – 12/1/2011

Living in Wisconsin at the upper range for the Red-Bellied Woodpecker, it is infrequent to see one.

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The Red-Bellied Woodpecker is a zebra backed woodpecker with a red cap, and a white rump. Red covers the crown and nape in the male. Its habitat is woodlands, groves, orchards, and in towns. It has a range of the eastern half of the United States up from central Texas to upper Wisconsin. Their diet is mostly insects. It was a surprise to see the Woodpecker at the feeder with Black Capped Chickadees and House Finches.

 

Downy Woodpecker Bird – Nonpasserines Land Bird – 4/13/2011-2015

This male Downy Woodpecker was photographed at Whitnall Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The female Downy Woodpecker was photographed at the Estabrook Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Downy Woodpecker

The Downy Woodpeckers are checkered and spotted with black and white, and a white back, breast and undersides. The male has a small red patch on the back of the head. The Hairy Woodpecker is larger in size than the Downy. The Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers are the only Woodpeckers with a white back. It has a range from Alaska and Canada to South United States. It has a habitat of forests, woodlots, willows, river groves, orchards, and shade trees. It feeds mostly on insects, and seeds and suet at bird feeders.

This is the smallest of the woodpeckers in North America. It is common and widespread, however avoids the arid southwest states. It is familiar to urban areas and parks and feeds on weed stalks, bird feeders, and large trees.

 

Pileated Woodpecker Bird – nonpasserine land birds 1/5/2010

I was surprised to be able to take this photo 20 ft from the hammering Woodpecker

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I heard this loud chopping sound in some pine woods. On closer observation I saw this red head oscillating back and forth making a large hole. It was about 50 ft up in the tree, and was shaded, and paid no attention to me as I tried to get a photo. It then went from tree to tree hammering away. Later in the day I heard it again and found it at near ground level. The lighting was slightly better, so I tried to get a photo as soon as I could. I kept moving in closer until I was about 20 ft away with the Woodpecker hammering away and oblivious to me. The head was bobbing so fast, and the noise so loud, that it was still hard to get a good photo.