Bird Guide

Crimson-naped Woodpecker vs Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Crimson-naped Woodpecker (Dryobates cathpharius)

Crimson-naped Woodpecker

Dryobates cathpharius

Small31 gForest

The mantle, back and wings are black, with some white spotting and light barring on the wings and one larger white patch. The upper side of the tail is black with white barring on the outer feathers, and the underside is barred in black and white. The chin and throat are white, the central breast is red and the rest of the breast and belly are white or buff streaked with black, with a varying amount of red or pink near the vent. The forehead is white and the crown black, and the male has a red patch on the nape.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: James Eaton · CC0
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris)

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Dryobates scalaris

Small32 gShrubland

The ladder-backed woodpecker is a small woodpecker about 16.5 to 19 cm (6½ to 7½ inches) in length. It is primarily colored black and white, with a barred pattern on its back and wings resembling the rungs of a ladder. Its rump is speckled with black, as are its cream-colored underparts on the breast and flanks. Southern populations have duskier buff breasts and distinctly smaller bills. Adult males have a red crown patch that is smaller in immatures and lacking in adult females.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Recorded by steve · Call · Frontera Audubon Society (near Weslaco), Hidalgo County, Texas, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ethan Wright-Magoon · CC0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Crimson-naped Woodpecker and Ladder-backed Woodpecker.