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peckerwood are one of the most fascinating avians you could discover in your backyard – and did you know that there are7 species in Kentucky ?
There ’s a skilful chance that if you have more than one woodpecker visiting you , you may really be playing horde to a few unlike mintage !
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
Although the list below contains all the usual woodpeckers find in Kentucky , it ’s possible to rule a vagrant species of woodpecker that ’s not native to this particular state . If you do see a vagrant species , it should be consider an extremely uncommon sighting !
The following legend can be used for each woodpecker species represent to determine what sentence of class you could see each woodpecker in your area .
7 peckerwood coinage are find in Kentucky , include the Northern Flicker , Pileated Woodpecker , Yellow - Bellied Sapsucker , Downy Woodpecker , Red - Bellied Woodpecker , Red - Headed Woodpecker , and Hairy Woodpecker . Several of these woodpecker species are lasting residents , while others are much rarer and can be only blob seasonally .
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
The 7 Woodpecker Species in Kentucky
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
parliamentary procedure : Piciformes
fellowship : family Picidae
Size:11.0 – 12.2 in ( 28 – 31 centimeter )
This Picidae is known by many , many different epithet – and you may well have seen it referred to as the Yellow or red-faced - shafted Flicker . It ’s a fairly common bird and is also one of the largest woodpeckers live on across the res publica . Unlike most pecker , however , they incline to junket mainly on footing dirt ball – ants , in particular ! This Flicker will choose to hop-skip around to eat , but may even choose to site itself on leg occasionally when it fancy a yield kickshaw or two .
The Northern Flicker has plumage colors that can variegate ( hence its many public figure ) , but you may commonly spot these birds thanks to their spot dress suit and wings . They often have black marking around their faces and crests , and you ’ll be able to separate them asunder from other Picidae on sheer size of it alone .
Northern Flickers tend to populate out east but can be witness high up in the northwest range of Alaska , and even down towards the west coast – that implement to the yellow - screw variety , in any case ! Flickers of this genus tend to be fairly common across the US , with almost ten million specimens forecast at present in North America .
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
Size:15.8 – 19.3 in ( 40 – 49 cm )
Large and forte , this woodpecker is fairly sluttish to detect – particularly as their mating cries are so discrete ! Rather tragically , this buirdly Picidae is sometimes false for a pecker that ’s thought to now be extinct – the tusk - billed woodpecker , which has n’t been catch in the US for many years . The pileated woodpecker , almost crowlike in stature , tends to feast on pismire and minibeasts found deep in decay Tree . This species ’ hollow - qualification can help oneself give shelter to other animals – make it a welcome sight .
Beyond their loud cries and wood rapping , the pileated pecker has a shocking red crest , with monochromatic bodies and long , thin bill . The male of the species is comfortable to blob as it has a facial mark rather like a moustache .
The pileated woodpecker does n’t tend to be too erratic about where it likes to live . However , you ’ll chiefly find it live on out in eastern State , though as far north as Nova Scotia ! If you ’re a California native , it ’s also not unheard of to spot this common Picidae .
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Size:7.1 – 8.7 in ( 18 – 22 cm )
This peckerwood is a change of bird that will happily drill holes to drink tasty fool from within , something that ’s very welcoming to other species . These bird are middling similar to other sapsuckers in terms of doings and in term of looks . yellow-bellied - belly sapsucker tend to be very unique drillers – you will belike recognize their staggered pecking if they pass off upon wood or metal near your thousand . These bird are recognize for pecking and making nests passing high up – over 6,000 foot in the airwave .
As the name intimate , you will normally be able to blemish a yellow - belly out sapsucker for its bright venter , however , it often has a reddish crown and nape , with stunning black and white bars and flecks down its eubstance , shadower , and wing .
The Yellow - belly Sapsucker is the most migratory pecker in the world , breeding as far north as eastern Arkansas and the northern boreal forest , and overwinter as far south as Panama and the Caribbean . Much like other US aboriginal sapsuckers , this bird will normally be plant in forest spots , though this specie will migrate from the central plain and lower midwest southward towards the west of the Appalachians .
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
Size:5.5 – 6.7 in ( 14 – 17 cm )
Truly petite , the cute downy woodpecker is a Picidae that ’s common across the north to central states . In fact , they are the small aboriginal woodpeckers in the country . They tend to prefer milder mood on the whole but are known to travel around . They use incisive , unmarried calls , and tend to savor feeding on seeds in feeders . If you have any woodpeckers in your backyard , there is a very ripe fortune it is a Dryobates pubescens . They are just big than your vulgar garden sparrow .
Exceptionally small but unabashedly noisy , the downy woodpecker is largely black and white with spots , and the males be given to have red-faced crown . They have alter spots and stripes across their flank and feathers – meaning that neither one nor two may ever look the same !
The downy woodpecker lives just about everywhere across the United States , with sighting across state as various as Florida and Alaska ! If the climate is mild enough – and not too sunny – then there ’s every chance you ’ll spot this hoot in your yard . There are around 13 million of them across the continent .
Red-bellied Woodpecker
genus Melanerpes carolinus
Size:9.4 in ( 24 cm )
Increasingly vernacular , the red - bellied pecker tends to enjoy flocking to backyard feeders and has a call you might just pick out . They only ever swot up during union or attraction , and if you ’ve ever tried to severalise these birds apart in terms of gender – it ’s almost impossible on glance alone . This is a mid - sized Bronx cheer that does n’t tend to do too much damage to trees , it ’s one of the gentle woodpeckers you ’ll determine in the US wilds . They lean to opt pecking away at hardwoods and will clump to timberland when they are n’t at the affluent .
The red - bellied pecker , of course , has a red stomach , but you will mainly do it it for its red-faced - tinged crown and its Browning automatic rifle - surface feathering , as well as a chocolate-brown - colored front and boldness . Again , it ’s hard to tell the males and female person asunder .
These woodpeckers incline to be common batch out towards the east and southeastern states , from Texas out to Florida . They do n’t tend to move around too much , particularly as they will steal nesting spot from other bird !
Red-headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Size:7.5 – 9.1 in ( 19 – 23 cm )
This large , boldly - distort bird is a wonderful sight for many , and while you might not hear it call too often , its rattles and swot on Tree will in all probability be a common sound across its aboriginal province . However , it does n’t actually peck at Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree for food – it snatches flying animate being as they waver yesteryear . This peckerwood has sadly fallen in numbers over the years due to food scarceness . However , when it ca n’t snatch a germ or two , it jubilantly feasts on nut and acorn .
Their name is a game show – they have brilliant red crowns and capitulum , with white body feathers and black and white wings and tails . You probably wo n’t learn their telephone call too loud .
These acorn - foraging birds frequent the eastern to central states , stretching up as far as outer Canada . They tend to enjoy the warmer range , however , as they will frequent spot in Florida and down in New Mexico .
Hairy Woodpecker
Dryobates villosus
Size:7.1 – 10.2 in ( 18 – 26 cm )
If there is a opportunity you ’re fail to spot a woodpecker in your backyard somewhere in the body politic , then it ’s believably going to be a haired mintage ! The Dryobates villosus is extremely common , but it ’s actually jolly shy and retiring . They have very simple call but will be happy to drill and drum on just about anything . They are also premier opportunists – they ’ll slip sap from holes drill by other birds ! The hairy pecker is also known for its mighty peck – it see small , but it drills loudly !
The hairy woodpecker naturally has a jolly hairy show , though it ’s also celebrated for its comparatively long , pointed pecker , as well as its distinct black and white coloring . Some species , however , can carry a brownish tincture . They are generally white-hot to the pectus and are bespeckle to the fender .
Where to start ? This Picidae does n’t incline to be fussy about climate , though you ’ll unremarkably see it amongst conifers . There are more than eight million of these birds across the continent , and their numbers pool are acquire – there are no particular states where they are most fecund .
How to Attract Kentucky Woodpeckers to Your Yard
need to see more woodpeckers in your backyard ?
As you may see , there are more than a few wonderful woodpecker coinage to look out for across Kentucky . Some may not clump to garden and backyards in favour of forests and woodland reaches – however , there ’s a chance a rare raspberry or two may make its way to you .
If you ’re keen to begin spotting woodpecker in your yard , why not take a look at our guide onhow to attract woodpeckers ? That ’ll give you the staple of what ’s required to attract woodpeckers .
Then , we ’d recommend interpret our emptor ’s guide onchoosing the good woodpecker confluent . set up up a pecker feeder or two is the best room to guarantee that pecker will claver your yard . While you ’re at it , do verify to learn our full scout onwhat to feed peckerwood , too – as getting their diet right will make a lot of difference !
There are a cluster of other ways to attract woodpeckers such asgetting a bird bathand planting native tree that pecker have it away .
All State Woodpeckers
require to see what pecker specie are regain in other states ? Here ’s our complete list of woodpecker found in each state :
