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Woodpeckers are one of the most fascinating avians you could notice in your backyard – and did you have it away that there are14 metal money in Texas ?
There ’s a good luck that if you have more than one woodpecker chitchat you , you may in reality be playing host to a few different species !
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
Although the list below contains all the usual woodpeckers found in Texas , it ’s possible to discover a vagabond species of woodpecker that ’s not native to this exceptional state . If you do see a drifting species , it should be view an extremely uncommon sighting !
The follow legend can be used for each woodpecker species represent to influence what time of yr you could see each woodpecker in your area .
14 peckerwood coinage are found in Texas , including the Pileated Woodpecker , Lewis ’s Woodpecker , Red - headed Woodpecker , Williamson ’s Sapsuckers , Yellow - belly out Sapsucker , Hairy Woodpecker , Red - naped Sapsucker , Northern Flicker , Ladder - backed Woodpecker , Golden - fronted Woodpecker , Acorn Woodpecker , ruby-red - cockaded Woodpecker , Downy Woodpecker , and the Red - bellied Woodpecker . Several of these peckerwood coinage are lasting resident physician , while others are much rarer and can be only spotted seasonally .
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
The 14 Woodpecker Species in Texas
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
purchase order : order Piciformes
Family : family Picidae
Size:15.8 – 19.3 in ( 40 – 49 atomic number 96 )
Large and loud , this woodpecker is fairly easy to notice – particularly as their mating rallying cry are so discrete ! Rather tragically , this burly Picidae is sometimes misguided for a woodpecker that ’s cogitate to now be extinct – the ivory - bill woodpecker , which has n’t been examine in the US for many class . The pileated woodpecker , almost crowlike in stature , tends to feast on emmet and minibeasts found deeply in decompose trees . This species ’ hole - fashioning can help give protection to other animals – making it a welcome sight .
Beyond their loud cries and wood rapping , the pileated woodpecker has a shocking red crown , with monochromatic bodies and foresighted , fragile nozzle . The male of the species is sluttish to spot as it has a facial marking rather like a moustache .
The pileated woodpecker does n’t incline to be too erratic about where it like to endure . However , you ’ll chiefly find it survive out in easterly United States Department of State , though as far north as Nova Scotia ! If you ’re a California native , it ’s also not unheard of to spot this common family Picidae .
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Melanerpes lewis
Size:10.2 – 11.0 in ( 26 – 28 cm )
The Lewis ’s Woodpecker is fairly rare , but also pretty heavy to miss when you do spot one ! This is a curious woodpecker in that it does n’t tend to peck at into woodwind instrument for grubs – instead , it ’s more partial to squander the singular flying critter . Unfortunately , this is another woodpecker whose numbers are fairly uncommon , as its home ground is cringe . The Lewis ’s Woodpecker is a little bite of a nomad in its nature , in that it will be well-chosen to search for food in various territories across the class . However , you ’ll ordinarily find it in burned wood and pineland .
tout gorgeous red and smuggled features , Lewis ’s woodpecker tend to be rosy around the case and beak , and to the crest and front plumage . You ’ll happen it has a magnificent , wholesale , black plume to the wings and stern . You probably wo n’t hear it pecking or drilling .
Lewis ’s woodpecker , while rare , lean to be spotted to the southwest , as far out east as Oklahoma , and ordinarily take up recourse in forests . However , you ’ll also recover it in some bit of California – a rare spot that ’s very rewarding .
Red-headed Woodpecker
genus Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Size:7.5 – 9.1 in ( 19 – 23 cm )
This large , boldly - colored bird is a wonderful sight for many , and while you might not pick up it call too often , its rattle and cram on trees will belike be a unwashed auditory sensation across its aboriginal State Department . However , it does n’t really pick at at trees for food – it snatches flying brute as they flitter yesteryear . This woodpecker has deplorably fall in numbers over the years due to food scarcity . However , when it ca n’t snatch a bug or two , it happily banquet on nuts and acorn .
Their name is a giveaway – they have bright ruby-red crowns and heads , with white consistency feathering and monochrome wings and buns . You belike wo n’t take heed their calls too obstreperously .
These acorn - foraging birds frequent the eastern to cardinal states , stretch up as far as out Canada . They tend to enjoy the warmer reaches , however , as they will frequent place in Florida and down in New Mexico .
Williamson’s Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus thyroideus
Size:8.3 – 9.8 in ( 21 – 25 cm )
The Williamson ’s sapsucker is a woodpecker that seems to be bouncing back from endangered position – thankfully ! These are brilliantly bright - coloured birds – at least when it come to male person ! As with other sapsuckers , this bird will jubilantly drill its way into trees and leave dainty pits for birds to get sap out of . This sapsucker is also known to eat ants and bug out of the barque it sucks from , though this will normally occur when it is cover . It does n’t have a favorite Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree – it blithely peck away in a mix of woodland .
Interestingly , the male and female person of this specie often diverge wildly – the male person is exceedingly bright in color , in condition of a black , sweeping coat with yellowness and reds to the front , while females are dimmer in shade , blot and often brown in color .
Despite once being endangered , this birdie now thankfully frequents more of the mid - western United States than ever before . That said , the migrant pattern of this specie are somewhat mysterious with some population known to migrate and others to be residents .
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Size:7.1 – 8.7 in ( 18 – 22 cm )
This woodpecker is a multifariousness of doll that will happily drill holes to fuddle tasty sap from within , something that ’s very welcoming to other species . These bird are middling similar to other sapsuckers in terms of behavior and in terms of looks . yellowed - bellied sapsuckers tend to be very unique drillers – you will likely recognize their staggered pecking if they take place upon forest or metal near your M . These birds are known for pecking and making nests extremely in high spirits up – over 6,000 feet in the air .
As the name suggest , you will usually be able to spot a yellow - bellied sapsucker for its bright venter , however , it often has a reddish crown and nucha , with sensational black and white bars and flecks down its body , tail , and wings .
The Yellow - bellied Sapsucker is the most migratory pecker in the reality , breeding as far north as easterly Arkansas and the northern boreal forest , and wintering as far in the south as Panama and the Caribbean . Much like other US native sapsucker , this bird will normally be found in woods billet , though this species will transmigrate from the central plain stitch and lower midwest southward towards the W of the Appalachians .
Hairy Woodpecker
Dryobates villosus
Size:7.1 – 10.2 in ( 18 – 26 centimeter )
If there is a chance you ’re decease to spot a woodpecker in your backyard somewhere in the state , then it ’s in all probability run to be a haired mintage ! The Dryobates villosus is extremely common , but it ’s actually fairly timid and retire . They have very simple call but will be felicitous to drill and drum on just about anything . They are also meridian self-seeker – they ’ll steal sap from holes drilled by other birds ! The haired pecker is also have it off for its mighty peck – it looks small , but it practice loudly !
The hairy woodpecker naturally has a fairly haired appearance , though it ’s also notable for its comparatively long , pointed beak , as well as its distinct black and white coloring . Some species , however , can carry a brownish tint . They are generally white to the chest and are bespeckle to the wing .
Where to start ? This Picidae does n’t lean to be fussy about clime , though you ’ll normally see it amongst conifers . There are more than eight million of these birds across the continent , and their phone number are spring up – there are no special states where they are most prolific .
Red-naped Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus nuchalis
Size:7.5 – 8.3 in ( 19 – 21 cm )
This popular sapsucker is a vulgar bird that ’s growing in numbers – and that ’s probable to exhilarate many woodpecker elsewhere , as this is a sapsucker potential to go away lots of open holes for tasty sap . You ’ll commonly distinguish them out in timber like other sapsuckers , but you may get one or two in your yard if you are lucky enough ! This woodpecker has an extraordinarily short tongue for its species , though that helps it to get at its daily sap . These sapsuckers can live to relatively old old age , with the oldest on record being almost five years of years .
The red - naped sapsucker has – of course – a red nape , with bloodless and black markings often emblazon its face , as well as its crest , body , and wing . It can get quite large , and given that it ’s fairly common , you should n’t have any problem finding it .
These woodpeckers incline to live in the mid - elevation timber of the intermountain West , from the Rocky Mountains westward to the eastern slopes of Washington and Oregon . Most somebody migrate short distances with females migrating further than Male on average . The northern birds move south into the western and southwestern United States .
Northern Flicker
genus Colaptes auratus
Size:11.0 – 12.2 in ( 28 – 31 curium )
This Picidae is known by many , many different names – and you may well have seen it referred to as the Yellow or ruddy - shafted Flicker . It ’s a fair common bird and is also one of the largest woodpeckers live across the nation . Unlike most tool , however , they lean to feast chiefly on land insects – ants , in particular ! This Flicker will take to skip around to eat , but may even select to site itself on branches occasionally when it fancies a fruit kickshaw or two .
The Northern Flicker has plumage colors that can change ( hence its many names ) , but you’re able to commonly spot these birds thanks to their blob tails and wing . They often have black marking around their face and crest , and you ’ll be capable to tell them apart from other Picidae on gauze-like size alone .
Northern Flickers run to live out east but can be detect luxuriously up in the northwest reaches of Alaska , and even down towards the west coast – that applies to the yellow - shafted variety , in any slip ! Flickers of this genus be given to be fairly uncouth across the US , with almost ten million specimen judge at present in North America .
Ladder-Backed Woodpecker
Dryobates scalaris
Size:6.3 – 7.1 in ( 16 – 18 cm )
modest but plucky , this is a monochromatic bird that you will ordinarily regain fluttering and drilling around the southern state . This Bronx cheer bonk the drier , warmer climate , and tends to nestle deep into some of the less moist forests across these district . gratefully , they have a stable universe ! These woodpeckers are arm forager , choosing to peck around keenly for insects . They normally hide themselves during forage – meaning they are not always easy to spot . That said , they do n’t incline to expend much time in the air , either .
Largely black and ashen to the backs and wing , these woodpeckers often tout red crowns cross back , with pitch-dark markings around their faces and beak . They will often have chocolate-brown undertone on their fronts , too .
The ladder - backed woodpecker tends to be a vernacular visual sense across the southern and southwest state , and they can be seen further south in Central America . This tend to be a non - migrant peckerwood – it is often happy to bide local .
Golden-Fronted Woodpecker
genus Melanerpes aurifrons
Size:8.7 – 10.2 in ( 22 – 26 cm )
This southern Picidae is a curious creature that borrows its feeling from some flickers but has doings all of its own . They are , woefully , in decline – but you have a right hazard of distinguish them in the drier forests of North America . They tend to last out in open wooded areas , and this specie is more of a fan of fruits and nuts than it is worm . They also lean to live to a ripe age – the oldest on track record was almost 6 age erstwhile when unfreeze into the natural state .
As its name indicate , the Golden - look woodpecker has a middling bright plume , often with a golden retire crown , and possible yellow markings towards its beak . You ’ll also note the speckled wings and tail , patterns of which you will also blemish in flicker , too .
Golden - breast peckerwood tend to prefer flocking towards the southwest , occasionally popping up in the backyards of Texas . It ’s also migrated towards Mexico , clearly preferring the more waterless temperatures and climate the continent has to offer .
Acorn Woodpecker
genus Melanerpes formicivorus
The super - noisy acorn woodpecker is a born drummer , often rapping its talon against tree branches ! They are so - nominate thanks to their propensity to hive up and put in acorns for their vernal ones . They ’ll spend much of their lives hunting and protect ballock for their brood to deplete . Acorn pecker have fascinating societal lives , often choosing to pair with multiple of the same species during a lifetime . The acorn woodpecker is one of few Picidae far-famed for avoiding monogamy . They also strive to guard their nests at all costs , too .
Other than noise , you ’ll spot an acorn woodpecker thanks to its fateful - and - white coloring . The male have a mess of blood-red feathers on their crown , while female person have more black colour on the frontal bone .
You ’ll normally observe that acorn woodpeckers reside towards the southwest , with dame living in forestry deep into California , Washington State , and even in Texas and Arizona . If you ’re lucky , you may even spot a few out in Colorado , across the Rockies , and into Nevada .
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Dryobates borealis
Size:7.9 – 9.1 in ( 20 – 23 centimetre )
The crimson - cockaded woodpecker is n’t actually all that reddish to look at – but we ’ll make out to that . It ’s a rare Picidae in that it wo n’t constellate to burnt or deadened trees . They prefer rubber in numbers and tend to peck away at survive plant and tree . Sadly , these woodpeckers are some of the rarest to find in the US , if not the world . They are a rare goody to make out . This bird is roughly robin - sized , and will ordinarily make a trenchant call – you ’ll be favourable to get wind it . They tend to work away at pine barque in small groups .
pocket-size to mid - sized , these muzzy - looking peckerwood tend to have all - over brown bars on their wing and after part , with fall upon black and white facial marking . You ’ll usually see them scaling true pine trees .
You will usually only notice the red - cockaded pecker in the southeast of the US , and even then , there are only opine to be 15,000 specimens in the wild . Conservation and studies are ongoing for this imperil species .
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
Size:5.5 – 6.7 in ( 14 – 17 centimetre )
Truly tiny , the cute downy woodpecker is a Picidae that ’s coarse across the north to central states . In fact , they are the belittled aboriginal pecker in the country . They tend to prefer milder climates on the whole but are lie with to travel around . They habituate sharp , undivided calls , and lean to love feed on seed in feeders . If you have any woodpeckers in your backyard , there is a very upright probability it is a Dryobates pubescens . They are just bighearted than your common garden sparrow .
Exceptionally belittled but unabashedly noisy , the puberulent peckerwood is for the most part dark and white with spot , and the males tend to have scarlet crowns . They have varying spots and stripes across their annex and feathers – mean that neither one nor two may ever await the same !
The downy woodpecker go just about everywhere across the United States , with sighting across states as various as Florida and Alaska ! If the clime is mild enough – and not too sunny – then there ’s every chance you ’ll fleck this bird in your cubic yard . There are around 13 million of them across the continent .
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
Size:9.4 in ( 24 curium )
Increasingly common , the red - belly woodpecker tends to relish flocking to backyard feeder and has a call you might just recognize . They only ever get up during sexual union or attraction , and if you ’ve ever attempt to tell these birds asunder in terms of gender – it ’s almost impossible on glance alone . This is a mid - sized shuttle that does n’t tend to do too much damage to Tree , it ’s one of the gentler woodpeckers you ’ll find in the US wild . They be given to prefer pick at away at hardwood and will clump to forests when they are n’t at the feeder .
The red - bellied woodpecker , of course of study , has a crimson belly , but you will mainly know it for its red - tinged poll and its saloon - coat feathers , as well as a brown - coloured front and face . Again , it ’s strong to recite the male person and females asunder .
These woodpecker tend to be common ken out towards the east and southeastern states , from Texas out to Florida . They do n’t be given to move around too much , particularly as they will slip nesting spots from other birds !
How to Attract Texas Woodpeckers to Your Yard
Want to see more peckerwood in your backyard ?
As you could see , there are more than a few tremendous pecker species to look out for across Texas . Some may not clump to gardens and backyard in favor of woods and woodland progress to – however , there ’s a chance a rarefied chick or two may make its path to you .
If you ’re swell to start spotting woodpeckers in your yard , why not take a flavor at our guide onhow to attract woodpecker ? That ’ll give you the basics of what ’s required to attract pecker .
Then , we ’d advocate reading our buyer ’s guide onchoosing the estimable woodpecker feeder . Setting up a woodpecker feeder or two is the estimable style to assure that woodpeckers will visit your curtilage . While you ’re at it , do verify to read our full guide onwhat to feed woodpeckers , too – as getting their dieting right will make a lot of difference of opinion !
There are a lot of other ways to draw woodpeckers such asgetting a shuttle bathand planting aboriginal trees that woodpeckers love .
All State Woodpeckers
Want to see what woodpecker mintage are found in other states ? Here ’s our complete lean of pecker found in each state :
