Woodpeckers in Ohio

Woodpeckers are a colorful, charismatic group of birds that can be found in wooded areas all over Ohio. Because of their striking coloration and behavior, they are an easy group of birds to find and recognize with a good pair of binoculars and can brighten up a woodland walk. Woodpeckers are all in the scientific family of birds called Picidae. There are 22 different species of them in North America and 8 are found locally.

Woodpeckers are consummate drummers. They tap on or drill into the wood of dead forest trees to find insects, mark their territory and to advertise their whereabouts to females. Different species knock on wood in distinct ways. For example, sapsuckers tap in a rhythmic pattern, making a line of holes from which they will drink sap. Woodpeckers have long, strong beaks that they use to drill into trees or logs. The birds use their strong legs to hold and turn the logs when drilling. If a woodpecker drills far enough into a tree, it can cause dangerous cracks or leaks in buildings and serious damage to electrical equipment and telephone lines if not repaired quickly.

In spring, usually April in Ohio, the flicker, downy woodpecker and Hairy Woodpecker begin their mating season with a loud drumming sound that echoes through the forest.

Some woodpeckers will look for cavities in dead trees or rotten stumps when they want to make a nest for their young. Other woodpeckers will make cavities in buildings or other man-made structures.

In Ohio they are found in the forests around the state, while the pileated woodpecker is also found in the Great Black Swamp area. These woodpeckers often visit bird feeders, often taking advantage of suet for food.

Pileated Woodpecker

The largest woodpecker is the pileated woodpecker (scientific name: Drycopes pileatus). This impressive bird will be found in older forests. It is about the size of a crow, with a black back , a bright, pointed red crest and a long tail. The underside of each wing is white with a black border. This woodpecker raps loudly but only once or twice per minute. The large holes it makes in dead trees have a distinctive rectangular shape.

Pileated Woodpeckers are often a nuisance to homeowners and commercial property owners because of the damage they do to buildings. They drill holes in exterior walls and ceilings, causing leaky roofs, leaking attics, and other problems. To prevent birds from nesting in their structures, some building owners place suet or other food items on the ground outside to attract them away from their structures.

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Although they are common birds, Red-bellied Woodpeckers are shy and wary in the presence of humans and usually require much more effort than many other birds to see well.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers can be found in a variety of habitats including pine forests (one of their favorite foods is pine seeds), oak woodlands, old fields, swampy areas along rivers and streams, and even suburban areas at bird feeders. Red-bellied Woodpeckers are fairly common in Eastern forests and woodlands.

Red Bellied Woodpeckers are medium-sized, crow-like birds. Their backs and wings are streaked with black and white, but the rest of their body is mainly white. Their heads are red and bellies surprisingly pale, contrary to their name. Red Bellies have a fairly long, sharp, straight bill that is gray or blackish in color. The tail is relatively short, but appears long due to its narrow shape and lack of a large central feather on top (like many other woodpecker species).

These woodpeckers primarily eat insects and their larvae, as well as other invertebrates such as spiders and earthworms. They will also occasionally catch small amphibians and baby birds. In winter they may feed on suet, seeds and some berries.

These birds can often be found at backyard bird feeders in winter. They are also common residents of wooded parks and gardens.

Downy Woopecker

This bird is the only woodpecker that breeds in the eastern half of North America. It is found in forests in Canada (except in Manitoba and Prince Edward Island) and southward through New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina to Florida (except for southern Florida), Alabama (except for extreme southeastern coast and very far west), Georgia (except for the extreme northeastern corner) to Louisiana; west across southern Canada to Alberta; western U.S. to Montana; Utah and Arizona (except for the southeastern corner) to California (except the extreme southwestern corner), except in the southwest, Mexico, and Central America.

It is found in a variety of wooded habitats including parks, thickets, forest edges and even man-made habitats such as suburban backyards. The bird’s preferred habitat is mixed woods with large trees that have loose bark on them so it can feed on insect larvae underneath.

The downy woodpecker is the one woodpecker that commonly nests in deciduous trees like maple and oak. The female lays three to five white eggs, which are incubated for 13 days by both parents. After the young fledge, they are fed by both parents for two weeks before becoming totally independent.

Hairy Woodpecker

The hairy woodpecker is very similar to the downy woodpecker, except it is larger — just a little smaller than a robin, has a longer beak and lacks the small black spots on the white wing feathers that the downy woodpecker has.

With their heavy, strong beaks, these birds hammer away at dead trees to get at the larvae of wood-boring beetle grubs and other invertebrates. They also eat fruit and nuts. To aid them in reaching even the innermost parts of the wood they hammer away on, these birds also have strong feet -long toes with stiff claws.

The hairy woodpecker is a bird of the forests. Except for a small pocket in northern Maine, it is found throughout the conterminous United States and much of eastern Canada (except for Newfoundland). It’s also found in Mexico and much of Central America south through Panama to Columbia.

The hairy woodpecker nests in a hole it has pecked into a dead tree in the forest. The breeding season varies with the location — spring to early summer in the south and late summer and fall further to the north. The male and female are monogamous. Four to six white eggs are laid, and incubation is done solely by the female for 10-12 days. The young will leave the nest when they are about three weeks old.

The hairy woodpecker is a very active bird, both in the trees and on the ground. It will often perch on top of dead trees, where it hammers for grubs and other insects, as well as foraging for food on the forest floor. Most often found in pairs or small groups, they call to each other with a variety of calls.

They are widespread and common throughout its range- however, some populations have suffered from habitat loss due to urbanization and forestry practices

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

The yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) is about the size of a starling. It is striped black and white. Adult males have a red-capped head, a red throat with a black border, and a yellow belly that is visible in flight. This bird is not a common permanent resident of Ohio; it generally arrives in May, begins nesting in June, and departs by October.

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are primarily insectivorous but also eat plant sap. They drill holes into trees (up to 12 per day) and insert their very long tongue deep within the tree, using it to lap up the sap that collects in the holes. This makes them a nuisance to farmers, who must keep their crops covered to avoid being tapped by the sapsucker.

Sapsuckers begin breeding in early to mid-May. They lay 2 (usually) egg bills of 3-5 eggs that hatch after an incubation period of 12-14 days. Juveniles leave the nest after 8 – 10 weeks and are capable of flight at 4 months old.

Three-toed Woodpecker

The three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) is also about the size of a starling. Adult males have a bright yellow spot on the top of the head. Three-toed woodpeckers have three toes, hence the name.

The three-toed woodpecker is native to eastern North America and in our region may be found from Nova Scotia to Oregon and even occasionally seen in Ohio, but it is rare. They are permanent residents and breed from southern New England westward. Population densities vary from place to place but apparently they are doing well because there is no evidence of any decline, nor are they listed as endangered or threatened. Three-toed woodpeckers have benefited from the habitat that has developed as a result of human settlement.

Black-Backed woodpecker

The black-backed woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) is a little larger, about the size of a robin. As the name implies, it has a back that is all black. Adult males of this species also have a yellow spot on the head.

The black-backed woodpecker is migratory in Ohio so it may only be seen during migration in spring and fall or during passage through Ohio on its way from wintering grounds to breeding areas or vice versa. Although it is rare, this species has been reported occasionally during migration through the state since records were first kept in 1928.

They like to eat ants, termites, beetles, grasshoppers and other similar insects. To get to the insects it cracks open the wood with its beak. They also live in dense evergreen forests.

Both the three-toed and the black-backed woodpecker occur in large numbers in areas where there is a preponderance of dead trees and insects, such as after a forest fire or major infestation.

Northern flicker

The northern flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a large, flashy bird the size of a pigeon. It has a longer, slightly downward-curving beak, and an unmistakable pattern of brown and grey feathers with black and white stripes. In flight, the tail feathers reveal a broad patch of white. The undersides of the wings of the adult male are yellow and it has a red spot on the back or the sides of the head. It feeds on ants and is often seen on the ground.

Northern flickers live in North America north of Mexico. They are widespread across Canada’s prairies and forests from northern British Columbia to Newfoundland; smaller numbers occur throughout the continental United States west of Texas. The birds winter along the eastern and southern coasts of Canada, Great Lakes area and from Alaska south to northern New England. In the United States, they are found in most of the United States’ eastern and southern forests.

Northern flickers are primarily a non-migratory bird, and generally reside in northern parts of the United States and Canada throughout the year. They are easily seen around parks, large gardens, and suburbs during migration season in spring and fall.

Red-headed Woodpecker

The Red-headed Woodpecker is a medium size woodpecker, measuring about 8 inches in length. These birds have a bright red head and black wings while the belly is completely white.

One can find Red-headed Woodpeckers in eastern North America, including Ohio, from southern Canada to Florida and Louisiana in the south, and from Minnesota to Texas in the west. Their range also stretches over into western portions of North Dakota and some northern areas of South Dakota. They prefer to be mainly wooded areas or forest edges near fields with trees that they use for nesting sites. They have also been known to use large oak or hickory trees for nesting; in some cases they will use abandoned Ivory-billed Woodpeckers’ holes.

The Red-headed Woodpecker mainly eats grubs, other insects and their larvae, and suet. They will also eat seeds of trees that have cones (such as pine) if there are not many insects available.

The Red-headed Woodpecker usually nests in cavities of dead trees, but occasionally they use woodpeckers’ holes that were abandoned by other woodpeckers. Some times they can be seen excavating their own nest cavities. The female lays 3 -9 eggs, and both the male and female take turns incubating them. The chicks are born about two weeks after the eggs are laid. They leave their nest 8-10 days after they hatch, and they do not return to it.