Bird Guide

Arizona Woodpecker vs Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Arizona Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus arizonae)

Arizona Woodpecker

Leuconotopicus arizonae

Small41 gForest

Arizona woodpeckers are nearly identical to Strickland's woodpeckers, growing to be about 7 to 8 inches (18 to 20 cm) in length. Their plumage is mainly brown and white in coloration, brown on top with a dark rump with white underparts speckled with brown spots. Arizona woodpeckers usually have white bars on their wings, and have two white stripes across their face which join with another white bar on their neck. Male Arizona woodpeckers also have a red patch on the nape of their head which is lacking on females.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K · CC BY 2.0
Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis)

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Leuconotopicus borealis

Small48 gForest

The red-cockaded woodpecker is small- to mid-sized species, being intermediate in size between North America's two most widespread woodpeckers (the downy and hairy woodpeckers). This species measures 18–23 cm (7.1–9.1 in) in length, spans 34–41 cm (13–16 in) across the wings and weighs 40–56 g (1.4–2.0 oz). Among the standard measurements, the wing chord is 9.5–12.6 cm (3.7–5.0 in), the tail is 7–8.2 cm (2.8–3.2 in), the bill is 1.9–2.3 cm (0.75–0.91 in) and the tarsus is 1.8–2.2 cm (0.71–0.87 in). Its back is barred with black and white horizontal stripes.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Lance Cpl. Matthew K. Hacker, United States Marine Corps Original photograph taken by: James Hanula, USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, May 1992 · Public domain

Where you might meet both

Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Arizona Woodpecker and Red-cockaded Woodpecker.