![]() ![]() As the largest woodpeckers in Maine and in North America, they leave distinctive rectangular holes in the trees it excavates in search of carpenter ants – their primary source of food. It’s obvious when you have a Pileated Woodpecker nearby. This crow-sized bird has a bright red crest and a striking black body with white patches on the wings, making it a treat to see no matter how common! The Pileated Woodpecker is most likely the species people think of when you say “woodpecker”. The Northern Flicker has a breeding range in Maine, so look for them in the Spring when they’re most active.Ĥ. This is thanks to its zygodactyl feet, and it also has stiff, pointed tail feathers that protrude at just the right angle to serve as a balance prop. This is the most common species to see vertically walking up a tree trunk. This bird eats insects and other invertebrates, but will also commonly consume seeds and berries when they’re available. It lives primarily in woodlands, wetlands, and many built-up areas, making it a common sight at bird feeders throughout the state. When in flight, its wings have been known to flash yellow from underneath. The Northern Flicker is the only woodpecker in Maine with gray-brown plumage rather than the traditional black and white. It’s believed they have a taste for sweet things, as they’ve also been seen pecking into sugar cane for the juice. They’ll also follow the routes of Sapsuckers, as they’ve been known to drink sap leaking from the wells left in the bark. As the Pileated moves on, the Hairy Woodpecker will investigate the deep holes and take any insects that may have been missed. This woodpecker is known for occasionally following the sounds of Pileated Woodpeckers within the same region in search of easy food. Field guides can point out the field marks to distinguish hard to tell apart birds, such as the Downy (left) and Hairy (right) Woodpecker. It mostly consumes insects, but will include plant matter in its diet as well. It’s less common than the Downy as well, preferring mature forests with old tree growth. The Hairy Woodpecker resembles the Downy Woodpecker with its black and white stripe and red dot, as well as also being seen throughout Maine, but they’re two distinctive species! The hairy’s beak is larger than the Downy’s, and has all-white outer tail feathers as well. ![]() Their smaller size comes in handy when foraging, as they’re able to crawl all the way out to the tips of smaller branches that other woodpeckers are too heavy to access.Ģ. This allows them to cling to the tree better in search of insects. ![]() Like most woodpeckers, they’ve evolved zygodactyl feet, meaning they have two toes that face forwards and two toes that face back, unlike most species of bird that have three forward and one back. This woodpecker spends most of its time clinging to the trunks and branches of trees. Males and females have slightly different patterns, as the males also have a bright red dot on the backs of their heads. They have a very distinctive black and white striping pattern down the center of their back with broad horizontal bars on their wings. It’s named for the soft texture on its back, and they’re often affectionately called “downies” by locals. The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest and most common of woodpeckers in Maine, as it can be found nearly anywhere trees are present. Woodpeckers have strong bills that are used to chisel, peck, and pull away bark and wood in search of insect prey, to create cavities in trees for nesting, and to communicate with other members of the species. ![]()
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