Get a Landscaping or Gardening Quote
move into your zippo computer code
Woodpeckers are one of the most riveting avians you could find in your backyard – and did you know that there are15 species in California ?
There ’s a just hazard that if you have more than one woodpecker visiting you , you may actually be playing emcee to a few different metal money !
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
Although the listing below contains all the common woodpecker find oneself in California , it ’s potential to regain a vagrant species of woodpecker that ’s not aboriginal to this particular state . If you do see a floating coinage , it should be deliberate an passing rarefied sighting !
The following legend can be used for each pecker species map out to find out what sentence of year you’re able to see each peckerwood in your orbit .
15 woodpecker species are found in California , include the Acorn Woodpecker , Nuttall ’s Woodpecker , Red - breasted Sapsucker , Downy Woodpecker , Black - back Woodpecker , Ladder - stake Woodpecker , Pileated Woodpecker , Williamson ’s Sapsucker , livid - head Woodpecker , Lewis ’s Woodpecker , Gilded glint , Hairy Woodpecker , scarlet - naped Sapsucker , Northern Flicker , and Gila Woodpecker . Several of these pecker species are permanent residents , while others are much rare and can be only spotted seasonally .
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
The 15 Woodpecker Species in California
Acorn Woodpecker
Melanerpes formicivorus
edict : Piciformes
Family : family Picidae
Size:7.5 – 9.1 in ( 19 – 23 centimetre )
The ace - noisy acorn woodpecker is a bear drummer , often rap its talons against Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree branches ! They are so - named thanks to their proclivity to collect and store acorns for their immature ones . They ’ll pass much of their lives hunting and protecting testicle for their brood to eat . Acorn woodpeckers have fascinating societal life history , often choose to mate with multiple of the same species during a lifetime . The acorn woodpecker is one of few Picidae renowned for forfend monogamy . They also strive to guard their nest at all costs , too .
Other than noise , you ’ll spot an acorn peckerwood thanks to its pitch-dark - and - white coloring . The males have a mess of red plumage on their crown , while females have more inglorious colouring on the os frontale .
You ’ll normally find that acorn woodpeckers occupy towards the sou'-west , with birds subsist in forestry deep into California , Washington State , and even in Texas and Arizona . If you ’re lucky , you may even spot a few out in Colorado , across the Rockies , and into Nevada .
Nuttall’s Woodpecker
Dryobates nuttallii
Size:6.3 – 7.1 in ( 16 – 18 cm )
Small and sprightly , the Nuttall ’s woodpecker is a rare west coast sight and is thought to be fairly similar to run - punt woodpeckers . However , it is even less common ! They banquet principally on mini beasts , including ants – a interchangeable dieting to the Northern Flicker . That said , they do be given to frequent trees more often . The Nuttall ’s woodpecker deport a very classifiable call – almost like a rale ! It often incite in rotary motion in search of nutrient and tend to pitch itself around branches .
Small and squatting , these woodpeckers boast bleak , brown , and bloodless markings , often with crimson pennant sweeping down the backs of their heads . If you exist amongst oak trees down the west coast , then you may just see a Nuttall ’s raspberry or two .
This Picidae is illustrious for almost exclusively living in the woodland of California . In fact , it ’s extremely odd if you blob them anywhere else ! However , they are sometimes cursory visitor to neighboring states like Oregon and westerly Nevada . Again , despite their aptness to go in thickly wooded areas , they frequent these point for the bugs , not the acorn !
Red-breasted Sapsucker
genus Sphyrapicus ruber
Size:7.9 – 8.7 in ( 20 – 22 cm )
The red - breasted sapsucker is a west seashore Picidae that lean to enjoy constellate to forests to suckle on sap – hence its name . Many other woodpeckers depend upon and can abide by the crimson - front sapsucker in search of food , as their holes tend to be very handy to get sap from ! The crimson - breasted sapsucker tends to be a pretty organized worker , practise row to breastfeed sap from and to fertilize on insects . Interestingly , you ’ll also find these birds flocking towards the coast , too .
These striking birds have gorgeous reddish head and plumage , often with black and white feathers on their wings and tails . They are mid - sized birds and tend to flock more towards the forest grasp than to yards . In any case , you may get prosperous .
You will find out this Picidae to frequent west sea-coast territory , traditionally to the west of the Rockies . West coast gardeners in California , Oregon , and Washington close to the forest sharpness may recognize one or two if there are conifers closelipped by .
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
Size:5.5 – 6.7 in ( 14 – 17 cm )
Truly tiny , the precious flossy woodpecker is a Picidae that ’s common across the north to cardinal states . In fact , they are the smallest native woodpeckers in the rural area . They lean to prefer milder mood on the whole but are known to travel around . They use needlelike , single calls , and tend to revel feed on seeds in feeders . If you have any woodpecker in your backyard , there is a very good chance it is a Dryobates pubescens . They are just bigger than your common garden hedge sparrow .
Exceptionally humble but unabashedly noisy , the downy woodpecker is mostly calamitous and white-hot with spot , and the males lean to have scarlet crowns . They have varying stain and grade insignia across their wings and feather – meaning that neither one nor two may ever bet the same !
The downy peckerwood lives just about everywhere across the United States , with sightings across states as divers as Florida and Alaska ! If the clime is mild enough – and not too gay – then there ’s every chance you ’ll spot this bird in your yard . There are around 13 million of them across the continent .
Black-Backed Woodpecker
Picoides arcticus
Size:9.1 in ( 23 curium )
The black - backed woodpecker is a fellow Picidae alongside the American three - toed variety show , though as the name suggests , these birds can be well-situated enough to enjoin apart . These special birds have the rather odd riding habit of salient trees that have died . There ’s a reason for this – they forage in burnt trees to go hunt for unsuspecting insects . Black - plump for woodpeckers will normally start pecking away on burnt woods a few week after it ’s been scorched . What ’s also fascinating is the fact that they will fertilize on this wood for up to eight eld !
This Picidae , as its name suggests , has a sheeny , mordant , feathery plume , which can be excellent in helping to camouflage it in darker , burn forests . They are becoming more and more common as they hunt for grubs and larvae , and it ’s likely you ’ll blot them alongside their three - toed cousin .
There are said to be more than 1.8 million black - backed Picidae in North America right now , and you ’ll descry them all across the northerly land heading into Canada . Again , much like the three - toed variety , this fowl commonly frequents Alaska and out east – if there are burnt trees , they ’ll be stuffy by .
Ladder-Backed Woodpecker
Dryobates scalaris
Small but feisty , this is a monochromous boo that you will unremarkably find fluttering and drill around the southerly nation . This bird loves the drier , warmer climate , and tends to draw close deep into some of the less moist forests across these dominion . gratefully , they have a static population ! These woodpeckers are branch foragers , opt to peck around keenly for insects . They usually obliterate themselves during foraging – meaning they are not always easy to make out . That said , they do n’t tend to spend much time in the air travel , either .
Largely black and white to the backs and wing , these woodpeckers often boast red crowns sweeping back , with black markings around their face and beaks . They will often have brown tinges on their fronts , too .
The ladder - back pecker run to be a common sight across the southern and southwest states , and they can be realize further in the south in Central America . This tends to be a non - migrant woodpecker – it is often glad to outride local .
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
Size:15.8 – 19.3 in ( 40 – 49 cm )
expectant and loud , this woodpecker is clean light to find – in particular as their union cry are so distinguishable ! Rather tragically , this burly Picidae is sometimes mistaken for a woodpecker that ’s conceive to now be extinct – the ivory - billed woodpecker , which has n’t been go through in the US for many year . The pileated woodpecker , almost crowlike in stature , tends to feast on ant and minibeasts found deep in decaying Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . This coinage ’ gob - making can serve give protection to other animals – making it a welcome visual sense .
Beyond their loud rallying cry and wood rapping , the pileated woodpecker has a shocking red crown , with monochromatic bodies and long , thin beaks . The male person of the species is well-situated to blot as it has a facial marking rather like a moustache .
The pileated woodpecker does n’t tend to be too fickle about where it likes to live . However , you ’ll mainly find it living out in eastern states , though as far northwards as Nova Scotia ! If you ’re a California native , it ’s also not unheard of to spot this plebeian Picidae .
Williamson’s Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus thyroideus
Size:8.3 – 9.8 in ( 21 – 25 curium )
The Williamson ’s sapsucker is a pecker that seems to be rebound back from endangered status – thankfully ! These are brilliantly bright - colored bird – at least when it comes to Male ! As with other sapsucker , this bird will mirthfully drill its agency into trees and forget nice pits for shuttle to get sap out of . This sapsucker is also known to wipe out ants and bugs out of the bark it sucks from , though this will commonly occur when it is breed . It does n’t have a favourite tree – it happily peck away in a mix of forest .
Interestingly , the male and female of this metal money often vary wildly – the male is extremely bright in colour , in term of a black , sweeping coat with yellows and reds to the front , while females are dimmer in ghost , blot and often dark-brown in colouring material .
Despite once being endangered , this bird now thankfully shop more of the mid - west than ever before . That tell , the migratory patterns of this mintage are somewhat mysterious with some populations have sex to migrate and others to be residents .
White-headed Woodpecker
Dryobates albolarvatus
Size:8.3 – 9.1 in ( 21 – 23 cm )
The white - headed peckerwood is a Rockies bird , normally preferring conifer tree and taking a rather delicate approach to seek out prey . They will rarely peck or hammer – instead , choosing to strip tree diagram barque in lookup of tasty bit . unluckily , they are amongst some of the most endangered pecker in North America . If you are favorable enough to spot this pecker , you may spot it in Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree log and stumps as well as full - grown tree . It ’s also partial to suet – if you hold up up in the mountains , be sure to organize your birdfeeder .
As their name propose , the white - headed woodpecker has a startlingly white fountainhead and facial expression , with gorgeous black feathering , wing , and tail . You ’ll be able to spot a male well , as it has a red marking , or cap , on its read/write head .
The white - headed woodpecker , as mention , tends to live out towards the Rocky Mountains and along the west coast . You wo n’t find them native anywhere else in the US , let alone the continent !
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Melanerpes lewis
Size:10.2 – 11.0 in ( 26 – 28 cm )
The Lewis ’s Woodpecker is fairly rare , but also somewhat backbreaking to overleap when you do spot one ! This is a curious woodpecker in that it does n’t run to hen-peck into woods for grubs – instead , it ’s more partial to consuming the remaining flying critter . unluckily , this is another pecker whose turn are passably rarefied , as its home ground is shrinking . The Lewis ’s Woodpecker is a little bit of a nomad in its nature , in that it will be happy to search for solid food in various territory across the year . However , you ’ll normally find it in burned woods and pineland .
Boasting gorgeous crimson and bootleg feature , Lewis ’s woodpecker tends to be rosy around the font and snoot , and to the tip and front plumage . You ’ll find it has a glorious , wholesale , contraband plumage to the wings and tail . You likely wo n’t hear it pecking or drilling .
Lewis ’s woodpecker , while rare , tends to be spotted to the SW , as far out east as Oklahoma , and normally takes up refuge in forests . However , you ’ll also find it in some spots of California – a rarified dapple that ’s very rewarding .
Gilded Flicker
genus Colaptes chrysoides
Size:11.0 in ( 28 atomic number 96 )
This large , heating plant - loving Picidae is a devotee of cacti – in fact , it will normally make nests in the plants without a pelf ! These species are fair rarified , woefully , but they are truly gorgeous to watch out – any backyard welcome these hiss is a favourable one indeed . Just smaller than the fair crow , the Gilded Flicker tends to love feast on insect that tunnel into the ground , with ants being choice targets . You ’ll rarely see these birds in trees , however – so it ’s better to expect closer to the ground .
Often speckled to the summit and wings , the Gilded Flicker can also display a fairly golden plumage in flight . It has brownish - orange colouring on its jacket and down the back of its head . You may often see it shoot a line a black crest , too .
The Gilded Flicker , as a lover of cacti for nest - construction , lean to frequent deserts and arid land out around Mexico and towards California , Arizona , and Nevada . Even then , its habits are sadly threatened – meaning unless you live near to the drier regions and plains , blob this Picidae is pretty rare .
Hairy Woodpecker
Dryobates villosus
Size:7.1 – 10.2 in ( 18 – 26 cm )
If there is a chance you ’re going to spot a woodpecker in your backyard somewhere in the states , then it ’s probably extend to be a hirsute coinage ! The Dryobates villosus is extremely common , but it ’s actually reasonably shy and retiring . They have very elementary calls but will be happy to drill and mug up on just about anything . They are also prime opportunist – they ’ll steal sap from hole drilled by other wench ! The hairy pecker is also known for its mighty good deal – it look small , but it drills loud !
The haired peckerwood of course has a fairly haired appearance , though it ’s also far-famed for its relatively long , pointed visor , as well as its distinct black and white coloring . Some specie , however , can gestate a brownish tint . They are more often than not white to the pectus and are speckled to the wings .
Where to begin ? This Picidae does n’t run to be picky about mood , though you ’ll ordinarily see it amongst coniferous tree . There are more than eight million of these hoot across the continent , and their numbers are growing – there are no finical states where they are most fecund .
Red-naped Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus nuchalis
Size:7.5 – 8.3 in ( 19 – 21 cm )
This democratic sapsucker is a common bird that ’s develop in numbers – and that ’s probable to tickle pink many woodpeckers elsewhere , as this is a sapsucker likely to allow for lots of open holes for tasty sap . You ’ll normally spot them out in timber like other sapsuckers , but you may get one or two in your yard if you are lucky enough ! This woodpecker has an inordinately curt tongue for its species , though that help it to get at its day-after-day sap . These sapsucker can live to relatively sure-enough ages , with the onetime on record being almost five eld of years .
The red - naped sapsucker has – of course – a red nape , with white and inglorious markings often emblazon its face , as well as its crest , body , and wings . It can get quite large , and yield that it ’s clean vernacular , you should n’t have any problem get it .
These woodpeckers lean to populate in the mid - elevation woodland of the intermountain West , from the Rocky Mountains westward to the easterly slopes of Washington and Oregon . Most individuals migrate brusque distance with female migrating further than males on average . The northerly birds move in the south into the westerly and southwestern United States .
Northern Flicker
genus Colaptes auratus
Size:11.0 – 12.2 in ( 28 – 31 atomic number 96 )
This Picidae is make out by many , many different names – and you may well have seen it refer to as the Yellow or reddened - shafted Flicker . It ’s a evenhandedly common bird and is also one of the largest woodpeckers living across the states . Unlike most peckers , however , they be given to junket mainly on ground louse – pismire , in particular ! This Flicker will take to skip around to use up , but may even choose to site itself on branches occasionally when it fancies a fruit treat or two .
The Northern Flicker has feather color that can deviate ( hence its many public figure ) , but you’re able to commonly spot these hiss thanks to their flecked shadower and wings . They often have black markings around their face and crests , and you ’ll be able to secern them aside from other Picidae on downright sizing alone .
Northern Flickers lean to live out east but can be found high up up in the northwest grasp of Alaska , and even down towards the west coast – that apply to the yellow - shaft variety , in any cause ! flutter of this genus lean to be fairly common across the US , with almost ten million specimens judge at present in North America .
Gila Woodpecker
Melanerpes uropygialis
Size:8.7 – 9.4 in ( 22 – 24 cm )
The warmth - loving Gila woodpecker is a common sight across Mexico , and you ’ll often see it in the desert . In fact , these Picidae favour nesting in cacti over any other industrial plant , tree , or bush ! It persists in arid conditions perhaps good than most . This woodpecker is a mid - sized bird that tends to spend its afternoons perching and call , favour to get much of its hunting out of the way of life too soon . This coinage is also extremely sociable with other woodpeckers and call birds .
The Gila woodpecker count fairly similar to other easterly Picidae , however , you ’ll know them for their brown or tawny body and head colouring , along with patterned wings and buns .
The Gila woodpecker is rarefied in the US , however , it can travel over to dry southwestern territory such as Arizona , New Mexico , and California in hunt of cacti . You likely wo n’t find this pecker hanging around the become flat tree diagram that many other hiss in its family are likely to frequent .
How to Attract California Woodpeckers to Your Yard
Want to see more woodpeckers in your backyard ?
As you’re able to see , there are more than a few wonderful peckerwood specie to front out for across California . Some may not flock to gardens and backyards in favor of forests and forest reaches – however , there ’s a chance a uncommon razz or two may make its manner to you .
If you ’re cutting to start spotting woodpeckers in your yard , why not take a look at our pathfinder onhow to pull in woodpecker ? That ’ll give you the basics of what ’s required to attract woodpecker .
Then , we ’d recommend study our vendee ’s guide onchoosing the best peckerwood eater . arrange up a pecker feeder or two is the best way to guarantee that woodpecker will visit your one thousand . While you ’re at it , do make certain to read our full guide onwhat to course woodpecker , too – as getting their diet right will make a fortune of remainder !
There are a bunch of other ways to attract woodpeckers such asgetting a skirt bathand planting aboriginal Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that woodpeckers love .
All State Woodpeckers
require to see what pecker species are found in other states ? Here ’s our gross inclination of peckerwood chance in each State Department :
