Back to Field Guide
Hairy Woodpecker
Leuconotopicus villosus
Audubon Illustration
John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.
Range & Recent Observations
Last Spotted Near You
About the Hairy Woodpecker
The hairy woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus) is a medium-sized woodpecker that is found over a large area of North America. It is approximately 250 mm (9.8 in) in length with a 380 mm (15 in) wingspan. With an estimated population in 2020 of almost nine million individuals, the hairy woodpecker is listed by the IUCN as a species of least concern. The species was previously placed in the genus Dryobates.
Source: Wikipedia
Classification
- Scientific name
- Leuconotopicus villosus
- Family
- Woodpeckers
- Order
- Piciformes
Similar species
Other members of the woodpeckers family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.
- Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus
- American Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides dorsalis
- Arizona Woodpecker Leuconotopicus arizonae
- Black-backed Woodpecker Picoides arcticus
- Black-cheeked Woodpecker Melanerpes pucherani
- Chestnut-colored Woodpecker Celeus castaneus
- Downy Woodpecker Dryobates pubescens
- Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla
- Gila Woodpecker Melanerpes uropygialis
- Gilded Flicker Colaptes chrysoides
- Golden-cheeked Woodpecker Melanerpes chrysogenys
- Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons
Know when the Hairy Woodpecker turns up near you
How rare bird alerts work →Gear for spotting Hairy Woodpecker
Optics
Best Binoculars for Beginners
You don't need to spend a fortune. These four pairs will get you birding confidently on day one.
8 min readRead guide
Cameras
Cameras for Bird Photography
From phone adapters to dedicated rigs, here's what actually works for capturing birds in the field.
12 min readRead guide