Hairy Woodpecker
Dryobates villosus
A sharp peek call breaks the quiet woods. High on a trunk, a Hairy Woodpecker searches the bark with a strong, chisel-like bill, pausing between deliberate taps.
When to Notice
Late winter–spring (February–April); drumming and nesting activity.
Where to Look
Look in mixed hardwood and conifer forests, especially where large trees, standing dead wood, and decaying limbs remain.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT
PLUMAGE
Black-and-white plumage. A white stripe down the back.
SIZE
Blue Jay sized; 7-10" in length.
BILL LENGTH
A bill nearly as long as the head.
HEAD MARKING
Males usually have a red patch behind the head.
Ecological context
Forest Connections
Its place in the Blue Ridge
Working Beneath the Bark
Hairy Woodpeckers excavate and probe into bark and wood for insect larvae, including wood-boring beetles. Standing dead trees and decaying limbs provide food that is often hidden from view.
A Second Life for Snags
By creating cavities in dead or softened wood, Hairy Woodpeckers add nesting and shelter spaces that other animals may later use. A standing dead tree can remain valuable habitat long after its leaves are gone.
Throughout the mature hardwood and mixed forests of the Blue Ridge, Hairy Woodpeckers spend much of their time searching tree trunks and larger branches for insects beneath the bark. Their strong bills allow them to reach wood-boring larvae hidden within aging and decaying trees. As both insect hunters and cavity nesters, they reveal the importance of standing deadwood and older trees in a healthy mountain forest.
A small wonder
Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers can look strikingly alike. The Hairy’s proportionally longer bill is one of the most useful clues when the birds are seen close enough.
Notice for yourself
Find a standing dead tree and study its bark. Do you see rows of small holes, patches of loosened bark, or fresh wood chips below? These quiet clues may reveal where a Hairy Woodpecker has been.
- always observe species in place and leave them undisturbed.
Explore further
Follow more stories from this forest.
Downy Woodpecker
Woodpeckers
White-Breasted Nuthatch