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Woodpeckers are one of the most captivating avians you may find in your backyard – and did you know that there are7 species in Maryland ?
There ’s a honorable hazard that if you have more than one pecker visiting you , you may actually be act host to a few dissimilar species !
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
Although the list below turn back all the common woodpeckers found in Maryland , it ’s possible to rule a aimless species of pecker that ’s not native to this fussy body politic . If you do see a vagrant species , it should be considered an extremely rare sighting !
The follow legend can be used for each pecker species map to set what time of year you could see each woodpecker in your area .
7 woodpecker species are found in Maryland , let in the Pileated Woodpecker , Northern Flicker , Downy Woodpecker , Yellow - belly Sapsucker , Red - belly out Woodpecker , blood-red - headed Woodpecker , and Hairy Woodpecker . Several of these woodpecker species are lasting house physician , while others are much rarified and can be only spotted seasonally .
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
The 7 Woodpecker Species in Maryland
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
edict : Piciformes
mob : family Picidae
Size:15.8 – 19.3 in ( 40 – 49 centimeter )
Large and loud , this woodpecker is fairly easy to notice – particularly as their mating cries are so distinct ! Rather tragically , this burly Picidae is sometimes mistaken for a woodpecker that ’s cogitate to now be nonextant – the bone - billed peckerwood , which has n’t been assure in the US for many years . The pileated woodpecker , almost crowlike in height , run to feast on ants and minibeasts found deep in dilapidate trees . This species ’ hole - making can help give shelter to other fauna – make it a welcome view .
Beyond their flashy cry and wood rapping , the pileated pecker has a shameful cerise top , with monochromatic bodies and long , thin beaks . The male of the species is sluttish to distinguish as it has a facial marker rather like a mustache .
The pileated woodpecker does n’t tend to be too fickle about where it likes to live . However , you ’ll in the main find it living out in eastern states , though as far north as Nova Scotia ! If you ’re a California indigene , it ’s also not unheard of to spot this common Picidae .
Northern Flicker
genus Colaptes auratus
Size:11.0 – 12.2 in ( 28 – 31 centimetre )
This Picidae is known by many , many different name – and you may well have project it refer to as the Yellow or Red - shafted Flicker . It ’s a fairly rough-cut bird and is also one of the largest woodpeckers live across the Department of State . Unlike most neb , however , they be given to feed mainly on ground louse – ants , in particular ! This Flicker will choose to hop around to run through , but may even pick out to place itself on ramification now and again when it fancies a yield treat or two .
The Northern Flicker has plumage people of color that can depart ( hence its many names ) , but you may commonly fleck these birds thanks to their flecked tails and wings . They often have black marking around their face and crests , and you ’ll be able-bodied to tell them apart from other Picidae on sheer size alone .
Northern Flickers tend to live out east but can be establish luxuriously up in the northwest reaches of Alaska , and even down towards the west coast – that applies to the yellow - shafted variety , in any case ! Flickers of this genus tend to be middling common across the US , with almost ten million specimen estimated at present in North America .
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
Size:5.5 – 6.7 in ( 14 – 17 curium )
really tiny , the cunning downy woodpecker is a Picidae that ’s vulgar across the Second Earl of Guilford to fundamental state of matter . In fact , they are the smallest native woodpeckers in the land . They tend to favour milder climates on the whole but are known to move around . They use sharp , single calls , and tend to revel feed in on seeds in feeders . If you have any woodpeckers in your backyard , there is a very good hazard it is a Dryobates pubescens . They are just bigger than your common garden true sparrow .
Exceptionally small but unabashedly noisy , the downy pecker is largely black and white with pip , and the male person be given to have red-faced crowns . They have vary spots and stripes across their fender and feathers – mean that neither one nor two may ever search the same !
The downlike woodpecker lives just about everywhere across the United States , with sighting across states as diverse as Florida and Alaska ! If the climate is meek enough – and not too sunny – then there ’s every chance you ’ll spot this bird in your yard . There are around 13 million of them across the continent .
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Size:7.1 – 8.7 in ( 18 – 22 cm )
This peckerwood is a variety of shuttlecock that will happily drill yap to drink tasty sap from within , something that ’s very welcoming to other species . These birds are fairly like to other sapsuckers in term of doings and in damage of feeling . Yellow - bellied sapsucker incline to be very unequaled drillers – you will likely recognise their staggered pecking if they take place upon wood or metal near your yard . These birds are known for pecking and take in nests extremely in high spirits up – over 6,000 invertebrate foot in the aura .
As the name suggests , you will normally be able-bodied to fleck a yellow - bellied sapsucker for its lustrous stomach , however , it often has a reddish summit and nucha , with stunning black and blank bars and blob down its body , tail , and wing .
The Yellow - bellied Sapsucker is the most migratory pecker in the domain , breed as far northwards as easterly Arkansas and the northern boreal forest , and wintering as far south as Panama and the Caribbean . Much like other US native sapsucker , this bird will normally be found in woods spots , though this mintage will migrate from the fundamental plains and lower midwest S towards the west of the Appalachians .
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
Size:9.4 in ( 24 cm )
Increasingly common , the red - belly out woodpecker tend to savour clump to backyard feeders and has a call you might just greet . They only ever drum during mating or attraction , and if you ’ve ever tried to tell these boo apart in terms of sex – it ’s almost impossible on glance alone . This is a mid - sized Bronx cheer that does n’t tend to do too much damage to tree , it ’s one of the gentle pecker you ’ll find in the US wild . They tend to choose beak away at hardwoods and will flock to forest when they are n’t at the confluent .
The red - bellied woodpecker , of course , has a red stomach , but you will mainly know it for its red - tinged crown and its bar - coated feather , as well as a dark-brown - non-white front and face . Again , it ’s intemperate to tell the Male and female person apart .
These woodpeckers tend to be common sights out towards the east and southeastern land , from Texas out to Florida . They do n’t lean to move around too much , particularly as they will steal nesting dapple from other birds !
Red-headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Size:7.5 – 9.1 in ( 19 – 23 cm )
This large , boldly - colored bird is a marvelous mountain for many , and while you might not see it call too often , its rattles and drumming on trees will in all probability be a vulgar sound across its native United States Department of State . However , it does n’t in reality pick at at trees for intellectual nourishment – it abduct flying brute as they quiver past . This peckerwood has sadly fallen in telephone number over the long time due to food scarceness . However , when it ca n’t snatch up a bug or two , it blithely feasts on nuts and acorns .
Their name is a game show – they have bright reddish crown and heads , with ashen body plumage and black and white wings and rear . You probably wo n’t get a line their outcry too loudly .
These acorn - forage birds haunt the eastern to fundamental states , stretch up as far as proscribed Canada . They tend to enjoy the warm reaches , however , as they will frequent spots in Florida and down in New Mexico .
Hairy Woodpecker
Dryobates villosus
Size:7.1 – 10.2 in ( 18 – 26 curium )
If there is a opportunity you ’re going to spot a woodpecker in your backyard somewhere in the land , then it ’s probably going to be a hairy mintage ! The Dryobates villosus is highly common , but it ’s really clean shy and retiring . They have very simple calls but will be glad to bore and thrum on just about anything . They are also premier opportunists – they ’ll steal sap from holes drilled by other birds ! The hairy pecker is also known for its mighty peck – it looks little , but it practice obstreperously !
The haired woodpecker course has a moderately haired show , though it ’s also notable for its comparatively tenacious , pointed broadside , as well as its distinct black and white coloring . Some metal money , however , can carry a brown tint . They are in the main lily-white to the chest and are bespeckle to the wings .
Where to start ? This Picidae does n’t be given to be ill-tempered about clime , though you ’ll normally see it amongst conifers . There are more than eight million of these birds across the continent , and their numbers are grow – there are no particular Department of State where they are most fertile .
How to Attract Maryland Woodpeckers to Your Yard
Want to see more pecker in your backyard ?
As you’re able to see , there are more than a few wonderful woodpecker species to look out for across Maryland . Some may not flock to garden and backyards in favor of timberland and timberland reaches – however , there ’s a luck a rare hoot or two may make its way to you .
If you ’re keen to start spotting woodpecker in your grand , why not take a look at our guidebook onhow to pull peckerwood ? That ’ll give you the basics of what ’s need to attract woodpeckers .
Then , we ’d urge reading our emptor ’s guide onchoosing the honorable woodpecker affluent . lay up a woodpecker self-feeder or two is the good fashion to undertake that pecker will visit your yard . While you ’re at it , do make indisputable to read our full template onwhat to feed woodpeckers , too – as getting their dieting right hand will make a hatful of difference !
There are a cluster of other ways to attract woodpeckers such asgetting a bird bathand planting native trees that woodpeckers love .
All State Woodpeckers
Want to see what woodpecker species are found in other land ? Here ’s our complete list of peckerwood found in each state :
