Acorn woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus

Identification Tips:

• Length: 8 inches
• Medium-sized woodpecker
• White eye
• Black head
• Black area surrounding bill is in turn surrounded by white lower face, forehead, and throat
• Black chest, nape, back, and wings
• White bases to outer primaries appear as small white crescent in flight
• White rump
• White belly and vent, with fine dark streaks on flanks
• Black tail

Adult male:

• Red cap extends back from white forehead

Adult female:

• Red cap at rear of head separated from white forehead by black area at top of head

Similar species:

White-headed Woodpecker lacks white rump and has an entirely white face and crown, and a black belly. The only medium-sized woodpecker with pale eyes.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.