Woodpeckers

There are lots of types of woodpeckers and they all have very specific and distinguishing colors and markings. 

This cutie on the right is a male downy. The red marking indicates male and the female would look similar but without the red.

They are very animated and fun to watch as they hop along the tree trunks and branches in search of tasty morsels. 

Where they occur, Downy Woodpeckers are the most likely woodpecker species to visit a backyard bird feeder. They prefer suet feeders, but are also fond of black oil sunflower seeds, millet, peanuts, and chunky peanut butter. Occasionally, Downy  woodpeckers will drink from oriole and hummingbird feeders as well. Find  out more about what this bird likes to eat and what feeder is best 

Red-bellied Woodpeckers, pictured here, are pale, medium-sized woodpeckers common in forests. Their strikingly patterned backs and bright red caps make them an unforgettable sight – just be careful not to call them Red-headed Woodpeckers, a somewhat rarer species that's mostly black on the back with big white wing patches.

A Red-bellied Woodpecker can stick out its tongue nearly 2 inches past  the 

Northern Flickers (pictured here) are large, brown woodpeckers with a gentle expression  and handsome black-scalloped plumage. On walks, don’t be surprised if  you scare one up from the ground. It’s not where you’d expect to find a  woodpecker, but flickers eat mainly ants and beetles, digging for them  with their unusual, slightly curved bill.

Although it can climb up the trunks of trees and hamme

A rare and one-time sighting of this yellow-bellied sapsucker in my backyard was very exciting. 

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is the only woodpecker in eastern North  America that is completely migratory. Although a few individuals remain  throughout much of the winter in the southern part of the breeding  range, most head farther south, going as far south as Panama. Females  tend to migrate farthe