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peckerwood are one of the most enthralling avians you could find in your backyard – and did you acknowledge that there are7 species in West Virginia ?
There ’s a good chance that if you have more than one woodpecker visit you , you may actually be playing host to a few unlike species !
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
Although the listing below stop all the common woodpeckers found in West Virginia , it ’s potential to happen a floating species of woodpecker that ’s not native to this finicky state . If you do see a floating species , it should be considered an super rarified sighting !
The following caption can be used for each peckerwood species map to determine what sentence of class you could see each woodpecker in your area .
7 woodpecker species are found in West Virginia , including the Northern Flicker , Yellow - bellied Sapsucker , Red - bellied Woodpecker , Pileated Woodpecker , scarlet - headed Woodpecker , Downy Woodpecker , and the Hairy Woodpecker . Several of these peckerwood species are permanent resident , while others are much rarer and can be only spot seasonally .
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
The 7 Woodpecker Species in West Virginia
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
Order : Piciformes
fellowship : Picidae
Size:11.0 – 12.2 in ( 28 – 31 cm )
This Picidae is known by many , many different names – and you may well have seen it referred to as the Yellow or Red - shaft Flicker . It ’s a moderately vernacular bird and is also one of the largest woodpeckers live across the states . Unlike most peckers , however , they tend to feast chiefly on ground louse – pismire , in picky ! This Flicker will choose to skip around to eat , but may even choose to site itself on branches now and again when it fancies a yield kickshaw or two .
The Northern Flicker has feather colors that can vary ( hence its many names ) , but you could unremarkably recognise these birds thanks to their blot tails and wings . They often have black markings around their face and crown , and you ’ll be able to tell them asunder from other Picidae on sheer size of it alone .
Northern Flickers tend to exist out east but can be get high up in the northwestern reaches of Alaska , and even down towards the west coast – that applies to the yellow - chicane variety , in any grammatical case ! glint of this genus tend to be evenhandedly common across the US , with almost ten million specimens estimated at present in North America .
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Size:7.1 – 8.7 in ( 18 – 22 centimeter )
This pecker is a variety of hiss that will blithely drill holes to drink tasty saphead from within , something that ’s very welcoming to other species . These birds are fairly similar to other sapsucker in term of conduct and in terms of looking . Yellow - bellied sapsuckers incline to be very unique drillers – you will likely recognize their staggered pecking if they happen upon Sir Henry Wood or metal near your yard . These birds are known for pecking and making nest extremely eminent up – over 6,000 feet in the airwave .
As the name suggest , you will unremarkably be able to spot a yellow - bellied sapsucker for its bright breadbasket , however , it often has a ruby-red crown and nucha , with stunning black and livid cake and fleck down its body , fundament , and wings .
The Yellow - bellied Sapsucker is the most migratory pecker in the reality , engender as far northward as eastern Arkansas and the northern boreal forest , and winter as far south as Panama and the Caribbean . Much like other US native sapsucker , this bird will ordinarily be discover in wood smear , though this coinage will transmigrate from the key plains and lower midwest southward towards the Rebecca West of the Appalachians .
Red-bellied Woodpecker
genus Melanerpes carolinus
Size:9.4 in ( 24 centimeter )
Increasingly common , the crimson - bellied woodpecker tends to savour cluster to backyard feeders and has a call you might just realize . They only ever drum during coupling or attraction , and if you ’ve ever tried to tell these birds aside in terms of sex – it ’s almost impossible on glimpse alone . This is a mid - sized raspberry that does n’t tend to do too much harm to trees , it ’s one of the aristocratical peckerwood you ’ll get in the US wilds . They tend to prefer pecking away at hardwoods and will flock to woodland when they are n’t at the tributary .
The crimson - belly woodpecker , of course , has a red tummy , but you will principally know it for its cerise - tinged crown and its bar - coated feathers , as well as a chocolate-brown - colored front and face . Again , it ’s severe to evidence the males and females apart .
These woodpeckers lean to be vulgar sights out towards the east and southeastern state of matter , from Texas out to Florida . They do n’t lean to move around too much , particularly as they will steal nesting spots from other birds !
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
Size:15.8 – 19.3 in ( 40 – 49 centimetre )
Large and loud , this woodpecker is fairly well-to-do to detect – particularly as their mating cries are so distinct ! Rather tragically , this burly Picidae is sometimes false for a woodpecker that ’s thought to now be extinct – the ivory - billed woodpecker , which has n’t been pick up in the US for many years . The pileated peckerwood , almost crowlike in height , tends to junket on ants and minibeasts base deep in disintegrate tree . This species ’ fix - fashioning can help give shelter to other animal – making it a welcome vision .
Beyond their loud cry and wood rapping , the pileated peckerwood has a shocking crimson peak , with monochromous bodies and long , thin beaks . The male of the species is easy to spot as it has a facial grading rather like a moustache .
The pileated peckerwood does n’t tend to be too fickle about where it likes to live . However , you ’ll in the main find it live out in easterly states , though as far north as Nova Scotia ! If you ’re a California indigene , it ’s also not unheard of to descry this common Picidae .
Red-headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Size:7.5 – 9.1 in ( 19 – 23 centimetre )
This large , boldly - colored bird is a marvellous sight for many , and while you might not hear it call too often , its rattle and drumming on trees will likely be a plebeian auditory sensation across its native State . However , it does n’t really smack at Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree for food – it snatches flying beasts as they flutter past . This woodpecker has sadly fallen in numbers over the years due to food for thought scarcity . However , when it ca n’t snatch a hemipteron or two , it happily feasts on nuts and acorns .
Their name is a game show – they have undimmed crimson crown and heads , with white torso plumage and monochrome wings and tails . You likely wo n’t get a line their calls too aloud .
These acorn - foraging hiss patronise the eastern to cardinal country , stretching up as far as outer Canada . They tend to enjoy the warmer reaches , however , as they will frequent spot in Florida and down in New Mexico .
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
Size:5.5 – 6.7 in ( 14 – 17 cm )
Truly tiny , the cute downy woodpecker is a Picidae that ’s vernacular across the Union to central states . In fact , they are the smallest native woodpeckers in the country . They tend to prefer milder climates on the whole but are known to travel around . They practice keen , single shout , and tend to delight feeding on seed in feeders . If you have any woodpeckers in your backyard , there is a very good chance it is a Dryobates pubescens . They are just bigger than your vulgar garden sparrow .
Exceptionally small but unabashedly noisy , the fluffy woodpecker is largely disgraceful and white with spots , and the male incline to have ruby-red crowns . They have varying spots and stripes across their wing and feathers – meaning that neither one nor two may ever look the same !
The puberulent woodpecker be just about everywhere across the United States , with sighting across states as diverse as Florida and Alaska ! If the climate is mild enough – and not too sunny – then there ’s every hazard you ’ll blot this bird in your yard . There are around 13 million of them across the continent .
Hairy Woodpecker
Dryobates villosus
Size:7.1 – 10.2 in ( 18 – 26 cm )
If there is a chance you ’re die to spot a peckerwood in your backyard somewhere in the states , then it ’s belike go to be a haired species ! The Dryobates villosus is extremely vulgar , but it ’s actually fairly shy and go to bed . They have very bare outcry but will be happy to exercise and drum on just about anything . They are also meridian opportunists – they ’ll steal sap from holes drilled by other birds ! The hairy woodpecker is also known for its mighty plenty – it looks small , but it bore loudly !
The hairy pecker of course has a jolly hairy appearance , though it ’s also notable for its comparatively long , pointed bill , as well as its distinct black and white coloring . Some species , however , can comport a brownish tint . They are generally snowy to the chest of drawers and are speckled to the wings .
Where to bulge ? This Picidae does n’t run to be fussy about climate , though you ’ll ordinarily see it amongst conifers . There are more than eight million of these birds across the continent , and their identification number are growing – there are no especial states where they are most prolific .
How to Attract West Virginia Woodpeckers to Your Yard
Want to see more woodpeckers in your backyard ?
As you could see , there are more than a few wonderful pecker species to wait out for across West Virginia . Some may not flock to gardens and backyard in favor of forests and woodland reach – however , there ’s a chance a rare bird or two may make its room to you .
If you ’re keen to start spotting peckerwood in your yard , why not take a look at our scout onhow to attract woodpeckers ? That ’ll give you the basics of what ’s required to attract woodpeckers .
Then , we ’d advocate reading our buyer ’s guide onchoosing the ripe pecker self-feeder . Setting up a woodpecker feeder or two is the good way to guarantee that woodpeckers will visit your one thousand . While you ’re at it , do ensure to read our full scout onwhat to feed woodpeckers , too – as get their diet right will make a lot of difference !
There are a bunch of other ways to attract pecker such asgetting a shuttle bathand planting native tree that woodpeckers love .
All State Woodpeckers
Want to see what woodpecker species are find in other State ? Here ’s our complete list of woodpeckers found in each state :
