Washington State is home to a huge population of wildlife and birds. Thanks to it’s unique geography full of coniferous and mixed forests, high elevations, and coastal areas, a diverse selection of woodpeckers — including sapsuckers and flickers— are found here. Among some of the more common species of woodpeckers, there are also some rare species that can’t be found in most parts of the country. In this article we’ll learn about the 12 species of woodpeckers found in Washington State.
Species of Woodpeckers of Washington State
The species of woodpeckers in Washington State include Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Pileated Woodpeckers, American Three-toed Woodpeckers, Black-backed Woodpeckers, White-headed Woodpeckers, Red-breasted Sapsuckers, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Lewis’s Woodpeckers, Red-naped Sapsuckers, and Acorn Woodpeckers.
Below are some pictures and interesting facts for each species.
1. Downy Woodpecker
Length: 5.5-6.7 in
Weight: 0.7-1.0 oz
Wingspan: 9.8-11.8 in
The first woodpecker on our list is also the smallest. The Downy Woodpecker is a widespread species of woodpecker found year-round across most of the United States and Canada.
It’s also found year-round in Washington State in a wide range of habitats including open woodlands, forests, orchards, groves, and suburban areas. In fact, it’s a regular visitor to backyard gardens, feeders, and even residential parks. It’s small size allows it to forage in places where larger woodpeckers can’t reach, such as tall weed stems and grasses.
Downy Woodpeckers have predominately black and white colorations very similar to Hairy Woodpeckers. They have white undersides and black uppers with white checkering and a bold white stripe that runs down the back.
Males also sport a tiny red patch on the tops of their heads. Their silhouettes resemble that of a larger woodpecker, with straight backs as they perch on tree trunks and straight, drill-like bills. However, the bills of Downy Woodpeckers tend to be smaller in proportion than other species.
2. Hairy Woodpecker
Length: 7.1-10.2 in
Weight: 1.4-3.4 oz
Wingspan: 13.0-16.1 in
Hairy Woodpeckers look nearly identical to Downy Woodpeckers in plumage coloration — they have mostly black and white plumage with the same white stripe running along their backs. However, Hairy Woodpeckers are larger and possess a longer bill.
Compared to other smaller sized woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers do a lot of drilling and excavating in order to feed on wood-boring insects and larvae. Listen for their drumming and look for them perched on tree trunks and on the main limbs of trees.
Like the Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpeckers are found year-round in Washington State. Since they are larger than Downy Woodpeckers, they rely on larger and taller trees and are generally found in more mature forests and open woodlands. They are less likely to be found in suburbs and backyards, though they will occasionally take advantage of a feeder, especially those stocked with suet.
3. Northern Flicker
Length: 11.0-12.2 in
Weight: 3.9-5.6 oz
Wingspan: 16.5-20.1 in
Out of all the woodpeckers found in Washington State, Northern Flickers really stand out as far as coloration. Unlike most species that feature primarily black and white plumages, Northern Flickers are instead brown all over, with lots of patterning on their undersides and wings.
They’re large woodpeckers in between the size of an American Robin and Crow, with smooth, rounded heads and long, tapered tails. There are two distinct types of Northern Flickers as well — Northern Flickers in the east have bright yellow patches under their wings, but birds in the west, including Washington State, have red.
Northern Flickers are year-round woodpeckers in Washington State where they occupy forests and woodlands that also offer open grounds for foraging. While most woodpeckers hang out on trees to forage, Northern Flickers are often spotted directly on the ground, using their slightly downcurved bills to dig for ants.
4. Pileated Woodpecker
Length: 15.8-19.3 in
Weight: 8.8-12.3 oz
Wingspan: 26.0-29.5 in
Pileated Woodpeckers are the largest woodpeckers in North America, and their distinct, flaming red crests at the tops of their heads make them pretty easy to spot. Unfortunately, Pileated Woodpeckers are not very common in Washington State, even though they’re found year-round along the northern, eastern, and western borders. They favor large, mature forests that have plenty of rotted and dead wood for foraging.
Carpenter ants are the main prey of Pileated Woodpeckers, but they’ll also eat other wood-boring insects in addition to fruits and nuts. Look for their distinct, deep, rectangular holes left in trees and wood to tell if one’s in the area. These holes also provide a home to other nesting animals, such as bats, owls, and birds.
5. American Three-Toed Woodpecker
Length: 8.3-9.1 in
Weight: 1.6-2.4 oz
Wingspan: 14.6-15.3 in
There are small pockets along the northern and eastern edges of Washington State where year-round American Three-toed Woodpeckers are found. They aren’t very common woodpeckers, and their small size and inconspicuous nature don’t make them very easy to find.
American Three-toed Woodpeckers often spend a long time perched on a single tree, either sitting very still or flaking off the bark. Unlike most woodpeckers, these woodpecker don’t rely on drilling or excavating wood and instead peel the bark off with their bills.
American Three-toed Woodpeckers are about the size of an American Robin, in between the size of a Downy and Hairy Woodpecker. Their bills are fairly short, but are strong and sturdy to help them pick off bark. They’re mostly black and white, with fine black barring on their white undersides. Males have a dull yellow patch on their foreheads.
6. Black-Backed Woodpecker
Length: 9.1 in
Weight: 2.1-3.1 oz
Wingspan: 15.8-16.5 in
Black-backed Woodpeckers are similar to American Three-toed Woodpeckers. They occupy generally the same areas of Washington State where they’re also found year-round. Black-backed Woodpeckers aren’t very common, but they do tend to be more noticeable than American Three-toed Woodpeckers. Black-backed Woodpeckers are usually the dominate species in places where both species of woodpeckers occur — they often drive away American Three-toed Woodpeckers from their territories.
These woodpeckers are medium-sized birds, around the same size as a Hairy Woodpecker. Their coloration is close to the American Three-toed Woodpecker’s, but with less barring on the back and wings.
The solid black plumage on their backs helps them blend into charred trees in forests where wildfires had occurred. Black-backed Woodpeckers flock to these burned areas to feast on the larvae of wood-boring beetles and other insects, and will occupy these territories for years.
7. White-Headed Woodpecker
Length: 8.3-9.1 in
Weight: 1.9-2.3 oz
Wingspan: 16.9 in
White-headed Woodpeckers are found year-round in only a small portion of Washington State. They favor mountainous pine forests and aren’t typically found in woodlands without pines. These woodpeckers love pine seeds and cones, so look for them in forests with lots of ponderosa, Jeffery, Coulter, and sugar pines.
Like Black-backed and American three-toed Woodpeckers, White-headed Woodpeckers don’t prefer to drill into trees but rather pull and peel the bark away from trees. They’ll also flock to burned forests to take advantage of the insects there.
White-headed Woodpeckers are about the same size of an American Robin, with mostly inky black plumage all over, except for their bright white heads and white stripes on their wings. Adult Males also have a vibrant red patch on their heads similar to other species of woodpeckers. Compared to other woodpeckers, they have long wings and tails, and a short, pointed bill.
8. Red-Breasted Sapsucker
Length: 7.9-8.7 in
Weight: 1.9-2.2 oz
Wingspan: 14.6-16.0 in
Red-breasted Sapsuckers are found year-round in Washington State, along the western coast. They mostly reside in coniferous forests, but in the winter they extend their habitats to other trees, too.
For a long time Red-breasted Sapsuckers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and Red-naped Sapsuckers were believed to belong to the same species, so not much information has been studied about the differences in behavior.
Red-breasted Sapsuckers are medium sized woodpeckers with sold red heads and red chests. The rest of their bodies are covered in black and white plumage. They forage the same way other sapsuckers do, by drilling small sap wells into trees in order to lap up the tree sap as it flows.
9. Williamson’s Sapsucker
Length: 8.3-9.8 in
Weight: 1.6-1.9 oz
Wingspan: 13-15 in
There’s a portion of the middle of Washington State where Williamson’s Sapsuckers are found year-round. They occupy mountainous forests of pine and aspen. Like other sapsuckers, Williamson’s Sapsuckers drill sap wells into trees in order to tap into the sap supply inside — much like tapping trees for maple syrup.
They also eat insects, fruits, and plant material such as cambium. They’re mostly quiet birds, but during the spring their drumming and high-pitched, nasal calls are heard more frequently.
Williamson’s Sapsuckers have extreme differences in appearance between males and females, so much so that they were once thought to be different species. Males are mostly black with a yellow belly, white patches on the wings, and bright red throat. However, females have a pale brown head, with black and white banding on their bodies.
10. Lewis’s Woodpecker
Length: 10.2-11.0 in
Weight: 3.1-4.9 oz
Wingspan: 19.3-20.5 in
Lewis’s Woodpeckers aren’t very common in Washington State — they’re only found in the eastern portion of the state during breeding season and migration. They tend to stay in pine forests and forests that have been burned, but their populations are often unpredictable, especially after breeding season when they travel around looking for stores of acorns and nuts. They take these foods and store them in crevices to last them throughout the winter.
Unlike a lot of other woodpeckers, Lewis’s Woodpeckers mostly feed by catching insects in midair. They have broad, rounded wings that gives their flight a graceful, crow-like quality. Their coloration is also unique and features a pink belly, red patch on the face, and a dark, iridescent green on their back and wings.
11. Red-Naped Sapsucker
Length: 7.5-8.3 in
Weight: 1.1-2.3 oz
Wingspan: 16.1-16.9 in
Red-naped Sapsuckers are found during breeding season in the eastern half of Washington State. They typically reside in mixed forests of pines, aspens, and willows, though outside of breeding season they’re also found in oak forests.
Like other sapsuckers, Red-naped Sapsuckers rely on tree sap for their main source of food. Their small, orderly rows of sap wells is a good indication that they may be around. Their irregular and slow drumming, as well as their sharp calls are other good identifiers to look out for.
Red-naped Sapsuckers are medium sized woodpeckers with short, sharp bills. Adults are mostly black and white, with white stripes on their faces and bright red patches on their heads. Their bellies are pale with black and white mottling and a pale yellow patch. Females have a small white patch on their red throats, while males’ throats are completely red.
12. Acorn Woodpecker
Length: 7.5-9.1 in
Weight: 2.3-3.2 oz
Wingspan: 13.8-16.9 in
Acorn Woodpeckers are only found in areas of extreme southern Washington, such as Lyle in Klickitat Country. Look for them in pine or oak forests, they are fairly easy to recognize by their markings as no other woodpeckers look quite like they do. Their heads are red, black, and white. Their backs and wings are black, and their underbodies are mostly light but with dark chests. Also you can see the white feathers on their outer wings. They’re quite mottled in color.
Part of what makes the acorn woodpeckers so interesting is their behavior when it comes to food. While they do eat acorns, hence the name Acorn Woodpeckers, but it’s what they do with them that’s fascinating.
All year long these little guys will take the acorns and store them in holes all over the place by jamming them in so that they become hard to remove for thieves.
This saves food stores for them when it’s hard to come by. On top of that they will have these caches of nuts heavily guarded by members of their groups, or families, always on the lookout for thieves. No other woodpeckers behave in this way socially.
Talia enjoys learning and writing about birds and other types of animals, then sharing her knowledge.