Guide

Look closerBirds

Downy or hairy woodpecker: how to tell them apart

All year

Downy woodpeckers and hairy woodpeckers look nearly identical in black and white, and the males of both have a red patch on the back of the head. Check the bill first: compare it to the head. It is short and stubby on the downy, and nearly as long as the head on the hairy.

Why this time of year

Both species are here in every season. Mass Audubon lists forest and suburban habitat for both in winter as well as in the breeding season, and both come to feeders for suet and sunflower seeds, so you can practice this any month.

How to notice it

  1. Look at the bill next to the head. The downy's bill is about one-third the length of its head. The hairy's is almost as long as its head.
  2. Judge the size. A downy is about the size of a house sparrow, and a hairy is closer to a robin.
  3. If you get a view of the tail, check the white outer tail feathers. The downy's have black bars or spots, and the hairy's are clean white. This one is a subtle clue, so use it alongside the bill.
  4. Listen. The downy gives a quiet pik and a rattle that slides down in pitch. The hairy gives a sharp peek, louder than the downy's, and a loud rattle that stays on one pitch.

Try this with kids: Next time a black-and-white woodpecker lands on the suet, hold up a finger next to the window and measure: is its beak a tiny stub, or almost as long as its head?

Sources

  • audubon.orgAudubon magazine 2015: downy bill about one-third head length, hairy almost as long as head; downy about House Sparrow size, hairy about robin size; tail is a more subtle clue (hairy all-white outer tail feathers vs downy spotted).
  • audubon.orgAudubon field guide: very short stubby bill; black bars on white outer tail feathers; male red nape spot; 'A quiet pik. Also a descending rattle.'; suet at feeders; permanent resident.
  • audubon.orgAudubon field guide: nearly identical plumage to downy; bill nearly as long as head; outer tail feathers clean white; 'A sharp, distinctive peek, louder than that of Downy Woodpecker; also a loud rattle on 1 pitch.'; male red patch on back of crown.
  • massaudubon.orgMass Audubon: downy short beak, black markings on outer tail; hairy beak larger, all-white outer tail; both commonly come to feeders for suet and sunflower seeds.
  • massaudubon.orgMass Audubon State of the Birds, downy: breeding and wintering habitat include forest and urban/suburban.
  • massaudubon.orgMass Audubon State of the Birds, hairy: breeding and wintering habitat include forest and urban/suburban.

Checked against these sources on November 3, 2026.

Also worth noticing