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Black and white woodpecker. White underside with black and white wings, head and tail. No red marking on the back or crown of the head, which suggests this bird is a female.
Seen on a tree on a residential street that runs along the shore of Lake Ontario.
Hairy woodpeckers are very similar to Downy woodpeckers. with two of the main differences being that Hairys are larger and have a larger bill (when compared to the size of the bird's head). When I saw this woodpecker I thought it was the larger of the two, but looking at my own photos I'm not sure that the bill is really large enough for it to be a Hairy. I've named it as a Hairy for now, but I'm not confident enough in my ID to list it by scientific name. Anyone who can weigh in is welcome. :)
Spotted on May 31, 2014
Submitted on May 31, 2014
1 Comment
This is a female Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens; the short bill, shoulder spur, and tail markings all point to Downy.