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Woodpeckers are one of the most fascinating avians you’re able to find in your backyard – and did you cognise that there are14 species in New Mexico ?
There ’s a good chance that if you have more than one woodpecker visiting you , you may actually be playing server to a few unlike specie !
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
Although the inclination below contains all the usual woodpeckers discover in New Mexico , it ’s possible to find a vagrant species of woodpecker that ’s not aboriginal to this fussy body politic . If you do see a aimless species , it should be considered an super rare sighting !
The come after fable can be used for each pecker species map out to determine what prison term of year you could see each woodpecker in your area .
14 pecker metal money are found in New Mexico , let in the Ladder - backed Woodpecker , Downy Woodpecker , Gila Woodpecker , Yellow - Bellied Sapsucker , Red - naped Sapsucker , Hairy Woodpecker , Arizona Woodpecker , Red - Headed Woodpecker , Northern Flicker , American Three - toed Woodpecker , Acorn Woodpecker , Red - Bellied Woodpecker , Lewis ’s Woodpecker , and Williamson ’s Sapsucker . Several of these woodpecker species are permanent residents , while others are much rarer and can be only make out seasonally .
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
The 14 Woodpecker Species in New Mexico
Ladder-Backed Woodpecker
Dryobates scalaris
Order : Piciformes
Family : family Picidae
Size:6.3 – 7.1 in ( 16 – 18 cm )
Small but feisty , this is a monochromatic shuttlecock that you will commonly discover fluttering and drill around the southern states . This wench get it on the drier , ardent mood , and tend to nestle deep into some of the less moist forests across these territorial dominion . Thankfully , they have a stable population ! These woodpeckers are arm forager , choose to peck around keenly for louse . They unremarkably hide themselves during foraging – meaning they are not always well-off to discern . That said , they do n’t run to spend much metre in the air , either .
Largely fateful and white to the backs and wings , these woodpeckers often boast red poll sweep back , with black markings around their fount and beaks . They will often have brown tinges on their front man , too .
The ravel - backed peckerwood tends to be a coarse sight across the southern and southwestern states , and they can be check further in the south in Central America . This tends to be a non - migrant pecker – it is often glad to stay local .
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
Size:5.5 – 6.7 in ( 14 – 17 cm )
sincerely bantam , the cunning downy pecker is a Picidae that ’s coarse across the north to central states . In fact , they are the smallest native woodpeckers in the country . They be given to prefer milder climates on the whole but are known to travel around . They use sharp , exclusive calls , and incline to savor feed on seminal fluid in feeders . If you have any peckerwood in your backyard , there is a very good chance it is a Dryobates pubescens . They are just larger than your common garden sparrow .
Exceptionally small but unabashedly noisy , the downy peckerwood is largely black and clean with maculation , and the males incline to have red crowns . They have varying spots and stripe across their wings and feathers – intend that neither one nor two may ever expect the same !
The downy pecker lives just about everywhere across the United States , with sightings across states as diverse as Florida and Alaska ! If the climate is mild enough – and not too sunny – then there ’s every chance you ’ll spot this bird in your yard . There are around 13 million of them across the continent .
Gila Woodpecker
Melanerpes uropygialis
Size:8.7 – 9.4 in ( 22 – 24 centimeter )
The heat - fuck Gila peckerwood is a common sight across Mexico , and you ’ll often see it in the desert . In fact , these Picidae choose nesting in cacti over any other flora , tree diagram , or bush ! It persists in desiccated circumstance perhaps better than most . This woodpecker is a mid - sized bird that tend to spend its afternoon perching and calling , preferring to get much of its hunt out of the way early . This species is also exceedingly sociable with other woodpeckers and calling shuttle .
The Gila woodpecker looks passably similar to other easterly Picidae , however , you ’ll know them for their brown or tawny body and nous semblance , along with patterned wings and tails .
The Gila pecker is uncommon in the US , however , it can move around over to dry southwestern territory such as Arizona , New Mexico , and California in search of cacti . You likely wo n’t obtain this woodpecker hang around the dying trees that many other birds in its household are likely to frequent .
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Size:7.1 – 8.7 in ( 18 – 22 curium )
This woodpecker is a variety of shuttle that will happily practice cakehole to drink tasty blackjack from within , something that ’s very welcoming to other metal money . These snort are fairly standardized to other sapsuckers in terms of behavior and in terms of looks . Yellow - bellied sapsucker incline to be very unique drillers – you will likely know their staggered pecking if they happen upon wood or alloy near your yard . These birds are known for peck and making nests super high-pitched up – over 6,000 feet in the air .
As the name propose , you will commonly be able to espy a yellow - belly sapsucker for its bright breadbasket , however , it often has a reddish crown and nape , with stunning black and bloodless bar and flecks down its body , poop , and wing .
The Yellow - bellied Sapsucker is the most migratory peckerwood in the world , breeding as far northwards as easterly Arkansas and the northern boreal woodland , and wintering as far in the south as Panama and the Caribbean . Much like other US aboriginal sapsuckers , this bird will normally be regain in timberland spots , though this metal money will migrate from the cardinal plain stitch and scurvy midwest due south towards the west of the Appalachians .
Red-naped Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus nuchalis
Size:7.5 – 8.3 in ( 19 – 21 cm )
This popular sapsucker is a unwashed wench that ’s growing in number – and that ’s likely to shiver many woodpecker elsewhere , as this is a sapsucker likely to leave raft of open hole for tasty sap . You ’ll normally blot them out in forests like other sapsuckers , but you may get one or two in your M if you are lucky enough ! This woodpecker has an inordinately little natural language for its species , though that aid it to get at its casual sap . These sapsuckers can live to relatively old ages , with the old on record being almost five years of age .
The red - naped sapsucker has – of course – a red nape , with white and black markings often emblazon its brass , as well as its crest , body , and wings . It can get quite tumid , and given that it ’s fairly common , you should n’t have any trouble finding it .
These woodpecker tend to hold up in the mid - elevation forests of the intermountain West , from the Rocky Mountains westward to the easterly incline of Washington and Oregon . Most mortal migrate brusk distances with female person transmigrate further than males on norm . The northern birds move in the south into the western and southwestern United States .
Hairy Woodpecker
Dryobates villosus
Size:7.1 – 10.2 in ( 18 – 26 curium )
If there is a luck you ’re rifle to spot a pecker in your backyard somewhere in the states , then it ’s probably going to be a hairy coinage ! The Dryobates villosus is extremely common , but it ’s actually fairly shy and retiring . They have very simple call but will be happy to drill and drum on just about anything . They are also choice opportunists – they ’ll slip sap from holes practice by other bird ! The haired woodpecker is also known for its mighty peck – it attend small , but it drills loudly !
The hairy pecker of course has a moderately hairy appearance , though it ’s also illustrious for its relatively long , pointed bill , as well as its distinct black and white food color . Some species , however , can channel a brownish tincture . They are mostly clean to the chest of drawers and are speckled to the wings .
Where to start ? This Picidae does n’t run to be fussy about mood , though you ’ll normally see it amongst conifer . There are more than eight million of these birds across the continent , and their numbers are growing – there are no special states where they are most fertile .
Arizona Woodpecker
Dryobates arizonae
Size:7.1 – 7.9 in ( 18 – 20 curium )
This rare footling Picidae is , as its name suggests , a treat to spot in backyards around the southern states . piano colour and sprightly , this relatively little woodpecker tends to be a big fan of treat you ’ll leave out in a feeder . Their numbers are said to be restrain , but around certain states , you ’ll find it leisurely enough to attract them . The Arizona peckerwood has an odd pattern in how it scales Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , too . It be given to start spiraling up tree that it bask pecking , working from the bottom all the elbow room up to the top .
little in height and weak John Brown in color , the Arizona Woodpecker can sometimes vaunt a small reft tussock towards the back of its headland and has a dotted breast .
The name gives it away – you ’ll find this coinage of Picidae living across Arizona and down towards Mexico , favoring forests rich in pine tree . If you exist tight to the Sky Islands , they can be a vernacular treat to spot .
Red-headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Size:7.5 – 9.1 in ( 19 – 23 cm )
This expectant , boldly - colored dame is a wonderful sight for many , and while you might not get wind it call too often , its rattles and drumming on trees will likely be a common auditory sensation across its aboriginal states . However , it does n’t actually pick at at trees for food – it snap flying wolf as they flicker past . This peckerwood has unhappily fallen in numbers over the geezerhood due to food scarcity . However , when it ca n’t snatch up a hemipteron or two , it happily feasts on nuts and acorns .
Their name is a game show – they have bright red crowns and heads , with bloodless body feathers and monochrome wings and tails . You believably wo n’t hear their claim too loudly .
These acorn - scrounge dame frequent the easterly to primal states , stretching up as far as outer Canada . They tend to enjoy the warm reaches , however , as they will frequent floater in Florida and down in New Mexico .
Northern Flicker
genus Colaptes auratus
Size:11.0 – 12.2 in ( 28 – 31 cm )
This Picidae is have it off by many , many dissimilar names – and you may well have see it referred to as the Yellow or carmine - shafted Flicker . It ’s a fairly vulgar bird and is also one of the expectant peckerwood survive across the State . Unlike most peter , however , they tend to junket primarily on terra firma insect – pismire , in particular ! This Flicker will choose to hop around to eat , but may even take to site itself on branch at times when it go for a fruit treat or two .
The Northern Flicker has plumage colors that can vary ( hence its many name ) , but you may ordinarily recognize these birds thanks to their flecked bottom and wing . They often have black marker around their faces and crests , and you ’ll be able to tell them apart from other Picidae on sheer size of it alone .
Northern Flickers tend to live out east but can be found richly up in the northwest reaches of Alaska , and even down towards the west coast – that applies to the yellow - screw variety , in any case ! Flickers of this genus run to be passably common across the US , with almost ten million specimen estimated at present in North America .
American Three-toed Woodpecker
genus Picoides dorsalis
Size:8.3 – 9.1 in ( 21 – 23 curium )
These pecker are so - name thanks to the obvious differences in their foundation – they tend to lean back further than most woodpeckers thanks to their three toes ! They also lean to be some of the noisy , more strong-growing peckers , so that they can get a right strike on the barque they attack . American Three - toed peckerwood tend to spend a lot of time pick and scale away at one or two trees before they will choose to go elsewhere – and they never get too bass into the barque .
As well as only get three toes , the American three - toed woodpecker is illustrious for having black / brown and white feathers , speckled , with a dramatic patterned face . Again , they can also be well-fixed to blob thanks to their pecking habits .
This Picidae is sadly one of the most threaten , though there are think to be more than 1.4 million of them living across North America . They lean to dwell forested mountain areas , and they also largely inhabit the upper one-half of the continent . If you live in Alaska , British Columbia , or out towards Canada , you may be golden enough to spot one or two .
Acorn Woodpecker
genus Melanerpes formicivorus
The ace - noisy acorn woodpecker is a born drummer , often rap its talon against tree branch ! They are so - named thanks to their propensity to hoard and store acorn for their untried ones . They ’ll spend much of their lives hunt and protect nuts for their brood to eat . Acorn woodpeckers have fascinating societal life , often choose to mate with multiple of the same specie during a lifetime . The acorn pecker is one of few Picidae notable for avoiding monogamy . They also reach to guard their nest at all costs , too .
Other than noise , you ’ll spot an acorn woodpecker thanks to its black - and - lily-white food coloring . The Male have a mess of red plumage on their diadem , while female have more black food colouring on the brow .
You ’ll normally find that acorn peckerwood domicile towards the southwest , with birds living in forestry deep into California , Washington State , and even in Texas and Arizona . If you ’re lucky , you may even blemish a few out in Colorado , across the Rockies , and into Nevada .
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
Size:9.4 in ( 24 cm )
Increasingly plebeian , the red - bellied woodpecker be given to love flocking to backyard feeders and has a call you might just pick out . They only ever drum during mating or attraction , and if you ’ve ever tried to separate these birds apart in term of gender – it ’s almost unsufferable on glance alone . This is a mid - sized hiss that does n’t incline to do too much impairment to trees , it ’s one of the easy woodpeckers you ’ll find in the US wilds . They tend to prefer pick up away at hardwoods and will flock to forests when they are n’t at the feeder .
The scarlet - bellied pecker , of course of instruction , has a blood-red stomach , but you will chiefly fuck it for its red - tinged tip and its bar - coated feather , as well as a dark-brown - bleached front and face . Again , it ’s hard to tell the male person and females apart .
These woodpeckers lean to be common sights out towards the east and southeastern state , from Texas out to Florida . They do n’t tend to move around too much , particularly as they will slip nesting spots from other wench !
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Melanerpes lewis
Size:10.2 – 11.0 in ( 26 – 28 centimetre )
The Lewis ’s Woodpecker is fairly rare , but also moderately intemperate to lack when you do spot one ! This is a queer woodpecker in that it does n’t tend to peck into wood for chuck – instead , it ’s more partial to consuming the odd flight critter . unluckily , this is another woodpecker whose numbers are moderately rarified , as its habitat is shrinking . The Lewis ’s Woodpecker is a lilliputian bit of a nomad in its nature , in that it will be happy to search for food in various dominion across the year . However , you ’ll ordinarily get hold it in burned forests and pineland .
Boasting gorgeous reddish and black features , Lewis ’s woodpecker tend to be rosy around the face and beak , and to the crest and front plumage . You ’ll rule it has a magnificent , sweeping , black plume to the wings and poop . You likely wo n’t hear it beak or drilling .
Lewis ’s woodpecker , while uncommon , tends to be spot to the southwestward , as far out east as Oklahoma , and ordinarily takes up asylum in forest . However , you ’ll also find it in some spots of California – a rare daub that ’s very rewarding .
Williamson’s Sapsucker
genus Sphyrapicus thyroideus
Size:8.3 – 9.8 in ( 21 – 25 cm )
The Williamson ’s sapsucker is a woodpecker that seems to be bouncing back from endangered status – thankfully ! These are bright brilliant - dyed birds – at least when it comes to male ! As with other sapsuckers , this hoot will blithely drill its way into trees and go out skillful stone pit for dame to get sap out of . This sapsucker is also known to rust ants and bugs out of the barque it sucks from , though this will normally occur when it is breeding . It does n’t have a favored Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree – it happily peck away in a mixing of timber .
Interestingly , the Male and females of this coinage often vary wildly – the male is extremely bright in color , in terms of a black , sweeping pelage with yellows and reds to the front , while females are dimmer in shade , flecked and often brown in color .
Despite once being endangered , this boo now gratefully frequents more of the mid - west than ever before . That said , the migratory patterns of this mintage are somewhat mysterious with some populations known to migrate and others to be occupant .
How to Attract New Mexico Woodpeckers to Your Yard
Want to see more pecker in your backyard ?
As you’re able to see , there are more than a few terrific woodpecker metal money to front out for across New Mexico . Some may not clump to gardens and backyards in party favor of timber and forest reaches – however , there ’s a chance a rare bird or two may make its way to you .
If you ’re sharp to start spot woodpeckers in your yard , why not take a look at our guide onhow to attract woodpeckers ? That ’ll give you the basics of what ’s required to draw woodpeckers .
Then , we ’d recommend reading our buyer ’s guide onchoosing the best woodpecker feeder . Setting up a woodpecker affluent or two is the good way to secure that woodpeckers will visit your yard . While you ’re at it , do verify to say our full guide onwhat to feed pecker , too – as getting their diet right hand will make a pile of departure !
There are a bunch of other ways to attract peckerwood such asgetting a bird bathand planting native Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that woodpeckers love .
All State Woodpeckers
Want to see what woodpecker species are discover in other State Department ? Here ’s our complete list of woodpeckers found in each land :
