There are many different species of woodpeckers in North America, and you can find 7 them in West Virginia. In this article we’ll take a look at each species and touch on where and when you might spot one, and if they visit backyard feeders. At the end of the article are a few tips on how to attract woodpeckers to your yard.
7 Species of Woodpeckers in West Virginia
The 7 woodpeckers in West Virginia are the downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, northern flicker, pileated woodpecker, red-headed woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker and yellow-bellied sapsucker.
1. Downy Woodpecker
- Scientific name: Dryobates pubescens
- Length: 5.5-6.7 in
- Weight: 0.7-1.0 oz
- Wingspan: 9.8-11.8 in
You can find these tiny woodpeckers everywhere throughout West Virginia all year. They are very common throughout almost all of the U.S. and are the smallest species of woodpeckers in North America.
The downy is only about the size of a sparrow, and can be identified by the white spots on their backs, and pure white chest and belly. Males have a red patch at the back of their head.
The downy is the woodpecker species