Photo: JerryFriedman / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Hairy Woodpecker
Leuconotopicus villosus
Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of North America.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus) is a member of the Picidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 62.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Picidae Woodpeckers
- Genus Leuconotopicus
- Species villosus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 62.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Hairy Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Hairy Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus) is a member of the Picidae family, within the order Piciformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 62.6 g, with a wing length of about 12.7 cm and a tail of around 8.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 13.3 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Hairy Woodpecker?
The Hairy Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 62.6 g.
Where does the Hairy Woodpecker live?
The Hairy Woodpecker is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA widespread, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Hairy Woodpecker belong to?
The Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Hairy Woodpecker eat?
The Hairy Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Hairy Woodpecker migrate?
The Hairy Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Hairy Woodpecker endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Hairy Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Hairy Woodpecker — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Hairy Woodpecker's range?
The Hairy Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 13.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Suet Feeders for Woodpeckers
How to choose a suet feeder for woodpeckers — the styles compared, why a tail prop helps, and how to keep starlings off. A decision framework with the woodpecker species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Picidae
A field guide to the Picidae family — 239 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.