Bird Guide

American Three-toed Woodpecker vs Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker

American Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis)

American Three-toed Woodpecker

Picoides dorsalis

Small55 gForest

This woodpecker has a length between 21 – 23 cm (8.3 – 9.1 in) and a wingspan between 37 – 39 cm (14.6 – 15.3 in). Males have an average weight of 58.3 g (2.06 oz), and females are slightly smaller, averaging 52 g (1.8 oz). Its maximum lifespan in the wild is 6 years. It closely resembles the black-backed woodpecker, which is also three-toed. Until recently, it was considered to be the same species as the Eurasian three-toed woodpecker, P. tridactylus. Adults are black on the head, wings and rump, and white from the throat to the belly; the flanks are white with black bars.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the American Three-toed Woodpecker
Recorded by Doug Hynes · Call · West Brook Ecological Reserve, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Sean Frey · CC BY 4.0
Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus)

Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker

Picoides tridactylus

Medium65 gForest

The Eurasian three-toed woodpecker is 21–22 cm (8.3–8.7 in) in length, just a little smaller than the great spotted woodpecker. The adult has black and white plumage except for the yellow crown of the male. Neither sex has any red feathers. It has black wings and rump, and white from the throat to the belly; the flanks are white with black bars. The back is white with black bars, and the tail is black with the white outer feathers barred with black. Juveniles of both sexes have a yellow crown.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker
Recorded by Kalle Nibbenhagen · Begging call · Baden-Württemberg (near Feldberg (Schwarzwald)), Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany · CC BY 4.0
Photo: Шальнов Кирилл · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: American Three-toed Woodpecker and Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker.