Bird Guide

White-fronted Woodpecker vs Yellow-crowned Woodpecker

White-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes cactorum)

White-fronted Woodpecker

Melanerpes cactorum

Small35 gWoodland

The adult white-fronted woodpecker is about 17 cm (7 in) in length. The sexes are similar in appearance except for a small patch of red, not always visible, on the crown in males. The crown, nape and upper parts are glossy black, apart from a thin white line running from a white nape patch down the centre of the back. A black mask surrounds the eye and extends to the mantle. The upper side of the wings is bluish-black, boldly barred with white, and the underside is browner. The upper side of the tail is black with white markings and the underside is browner.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Leonel Roget · CC BY 4.0
Yellow-crowned Woodpecker (Leiopicus mahrattensis)

Yellow-crowned Woodpecker

Leiopicus mahrattensis

Small34 gWoodland

A medium-small (17.5 cm, 6.9 inches, 28-46 grams, 1–1.6 ounces), pale-headed, pied woodpecker. Upper-parts black, heavily spotted and barred white. Underparts dark, streaked dingy white with red belly patch. Irregular brown cheek and neck patches. Female has yellowish crown and nape. In male nape scarlet and fore-crown yellow.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Parth Kansara · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: White-fronted Woodpecker and Yellow-crowned Woodpecker.