Baby Woodpecker Identification

There are more than 200 species of woodpeckers worldwide, 22 of which are in the United States, according to Iowa State University. The first step to identify a baby woodpecker is to know the region where it lives. When a baby woodpecker is born, it has no feathers and looks like a little shaved rat. It is difficult for the average person to identify a very young woodpecker. As the weeks pass and the bird begins to grow its feathers, certain characteristics emerge making identification possible.

  1. Red-Bellied Woodpecker

    • The red-bellied woodpecker's name is misleadiang since most of the red is on its head.

      A red-bellied woodpecker has a pale, gray-brown breast with a distinct red wash on the belly. It has a pale brown face, white wings and a rounded head with a bright red crown. It commonly lives in forests in the Eastern United States and forages from forests to backyard feeders. Babies have gray heads and a light-colored beak. Do not confuse a red-bellied woodpecker with a redheaded woodpecker. Redheaded woodpeckers are very rare and usually reside in the deep woods, seldom venturing out.

    Acorn Woodpecker

    • Acorn woodpeckers have a black and white head, clownish face and a red crown. Their eyes are a glaring white, and they have a black patch around the base of the bill. Their wings are black with white patches. It is common to see an acorn woodpecker near backyard feeders, in parks and wood lots. All their babies have dark eyes. Acorn woodpeckers reside in Western oak forests.

    Downy Woodpecker

    • The downy has a straight, chisel-like bill that looks small compared to the bird's size. It is one of the smaller species of woodpeckers and resides on tiny branches. It has wide shoulders and a block head. The wings are black and checked with white. There is a bold stripe on its head and a broad white stripe down the center of its back. The tail feathers are typically white with black spots. The woodpecker resides in open woodlands. The hairy woodpecker has the same identification markings as a downy except that its bill is nearly the same length as its head and it has two white stripes on its head. Hairy woodpeckers reside in forests across North America.

    Pileated Woodpecker

    • The pileated woodpecker is about 15 inches long.

      Pileated woodpeckers are almost as large as a crow and are one of the largest species of woodpeckers in North America. Identification marks on a pileated woodpecker include a red crest on the head, a black body, white wing linings that are visible in flight and a large gray bill. Babies have the same markings, with a shorter crest and brown eyes. Pileated woodpeckers live throughout North America in mature forests.