Oklahoma, with its diverse landscape of over 12.5 million acres of forests, provides a perfect backdrop for its 11 species of woodpeckers. From the dense woodlands of the east to the unique Cross Timbers and forests of the west, these birds thrive across the state.
This article offers some insight into these woodpeckers, detailing where and when to spot them, and includes helpful photographs for identification. Get ready to learn some interesting facts about these distinctive birds in Oklahoma’s rich natural environment.
11 Woodpeckers in Oklahoma
The 11 species of woodpeckers in Oklahoma are the Pileated Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, and the Lewis’s Woodpecker.
1. Pileated Woodpecker
Length: 15.8-19.3 in
Weight: 8.8-12.3 oz
Wingspan: 26.0-29.5 in
Pileated Woodpeckers are large, crow-sized birds with long beaks and red, triangular crests on their heads. Their bodies are mostly black, with white stripes on their heads and white feathers on the undersides of their wings.
Find these woodpeckers year round in about the eastern third of Oklahoma, they aren’t as commonly seen as some of the other woodpeckers in this list. Look for them in mature forests that have plenty of dead trees and downed wood. Also keep an eye out for excavations and signature rectangular holes in soft, rotten wood for a sign that these birds are nearby.
Listen for their loud drumming and piercing, whinny-like calls for a good chance at spotting them. Keeping suet in your backyard bird feeder is another way to attract them.
2. Red-headed Woodpecker
