Woodpeckers and Allies
(Order: Piciformes)
Woodpeckers are heard more often then they are seen. In the wintertime, when most trees are bare, woodpeckers can be more easily spotted. They have special adaptations to enable them to drill into trees and other plants in search of food.
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
The pileated woodpecker is the largest extant woodpecker in North America. It sports a brilliant red crown and drills loudly into trees. Its range covers much of the eastern half of the United States.
Yellow Bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Yellow bellied sapsuckers live in much of eastern North America. They carve wells into plants to feed off of their sap. They have a red crown and throat and an often hidden yellow belly.
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
The downy woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in North America. It appears similarly to a hairy woodpecker, although it has a shorter beak. Males have a red crown.
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
The red bellied woodpecker lives in the eastern USA. These woodpeckers have a red crown and a very subtle red belly.