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Woodpeckers are one of the most fascinating avians you could happen in your backyard – and did you know that there are7 species in Alaska ?
There ’s a good hazard that if you have more than one woodpecker visiting you , you may actually be toy host to a few different species !
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
Although the list below contains all the usual woodpeckers found in Alaska , it ’s potential to find a drifting metal money of peckerwood that ’s not native to this particular state of matter . If you do see a vagrant coinage , it should be considered an passing uncommon sighting !
The following legend can be used for each peckerwood species map to determine what time of year you may see each woodpecker in your surface area .
7 woodpecker species are detect in Alaska , including the Black - game Woodpecker , Yellow - belly out Sapsucker , Red - breasted Sapsucker , American Three - toe Woodpecker , Hairy Woodpecker , Northern Flicker , and Downy Woodpecker . Several of these woodpecker coinage are lasting residents , while others are much rarer and can be only spotted seasonally .
Legend for the following woodpecker migration and range maps
The 7 Woodpecker Species in Alaska
Black-Backed Woodpecker
genus Picoides arcticus
Order : Piciformes
Family : family Picidae
Size:9.1 in ( 23 centimeter )
The black - indorse peckerwood is a fellow Picidae alongside the American three - toed variety , though as the name suggests , these snort can be easy enough to tell apart . These particular birds have the rather odd habit of striking Tree that have died . There ’s a reason for this – they forage in burn trees to go hunting for unsuspecting insects . fatal - backed pecker will normally bug out pecking away on burnt woodwind a few weeks after it ’s been scorched . What ’s also riveting is the fact that they will feed on this Grant Wood for up to eight years !
This family Picidae , as its name suggests , has a shiny , black , feathery plume , which can be excellent in aid to camouflage it in darker , burnt forest . They are becoming more and more common as they trace for grubs and larvae , and it ’s likely you ’ll pick out them alongside their three - toed cousins .
There are said to be more than 1.8 million inkiness - backed Picidae in North America right now , and you ’ll spot them all across the northerly state manoeuvre into Canada . Again , much like the three - toed potpourri , this bird ordinarily frequents Alaska and out east – if there are burnt tree , they ’ll be close by .
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Size:7.1 – 8.7 in ( 18 – 22 cm )
This woodpecker is a variety of doll that will happily bore hole to drink tasty sap from within , something that ’s very welcoming to other mintage . These birds are fair interchangeable to other sapsucker in terms of deportment and in terms of looks . icteric - bellied sapsuckers tend to be very unique drillers – you will likely recognize their staggered pecking if they happen upon wood or metal near your yard . These birds are bed for peck and making nests extremely high up – over 6,000 infantry in the aura .
As the name suggests , you will normally be able to blemish a yellow - bellied sapsucker for its undimmed stomach , however , it often has a reddish crownwork and nape , with sensational black and white bars and blot down its consistence , tail , and wing .
The Yellow - bellied Sapsucker is the most migrant pecker in the reality , breeding as far northwards as eastern Arkansas and the northern boreal woodland , and wintering as far south as Panama and the Caribbean . Much like other US native sapsuckers , this bird will ordinarily be found in forest spots , though this species will migrate from the central plain stitch and crushed midwest due south towards the Benjamin West of the Appalachians .
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus ruber
Size:7.9 – 8.7 in ( 20 – 22 atomic number 96 )
The red - summit sapsucker is a west seacoast Picidae that tends to enjoy flocking to forests to suckle on sap – hence its name . Many other woodpeckers depend upon and can follow the ruby - breast sapsucker in lookup of nutrient , as their holes tend to be very handy to get sap from ! The red - breasted sapsucker tends to be a fairly organize worker , drilling rows to suck sap from and to feed on insects . Interestingly , you ’ll also find these skirt flocking towards the sea-coast , too .
These striking birds have gorgeous reddish heads and plumage , often with disgraceful and bloodless plume on their wings and tails . They are mid - sized bird and lean to flock more towards the woods reaches than to grand . In any case , you may get golden .
You will witness this Picidae to frequent west slide territories , traditionally to the west of the Rockies . West coast nurseryman in California , Oregon , and Washington close to the forest edges may spot one or two if there are conifers close by .
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Picoides dorsalis
Size:8.3 – 9.1 in ( 21 – 23 cm )
These woodpeckers are so - appoint thanks to the obvious differences in their metrical unit – they tend to lean back further than most woodpeckers thanks to their three toe ! They also be given to be some of the noisier , more aggressive peckers , so that they can get a ripe strike on the barque they attack . American Three - toed woodpeckers lean to spend a lot of time peck and scaling away at one or two trees before they will choose to go elsewhere – and they never get too deep into the bark .
As well as only having three toes , the American three - toed woodpecker is notable for have black / brown and white feathers , speckled , with a striking pattern brass . Again , they can also be easy to fleck thanks to their pecking habits .
This Picidae is sadly one of the most endangered , though there are thought to be more than 1.4 million of them living across North America . They tend to inhabit forested mountain areas , and they also largely dwell the upper one-half of the continent . If you subsist in Alaska , British Columbia , or out towards Canada , you may be favorable enough to fleck one or two .
Hairy Woodpecker
Dryobates villosus
Size:7.1 – 10.2 in ( 18 – 26 cm )
If there is a chance you ’re hold out to distinguish a woodpecker in your backyard somewhere in the states , then it ’s probably give way to be a hirsute coinage ! The Dryobates villosus is exceedingly common , but it ’s actually evenhandedly shy and retiring . They have very elementary calls but will be happy to exercise and drum on just about anything . They are also prime self-seeker – they ’ll steal sap from hole drilled by other birds ! The hairy woodpecker is also known for its mighty flock – it looks pocket-size , but it drills clamorously !
The hairy woodpecker naturally has a pretty hairy visual aspect , though it ’s also noteworthy for its relatively long , pointed bill , as well as its distinct black and blanched coloring . Some mintage , however , can carry a brownish tint . They are generally white to the chest and are speckle to the wing .
Where to begin ? This Picidae does n’t tend to be fussy about climate , though you ’ll normally see it amongst conifer . There are more than eight million of these fowl across the continent , and their numbers are produce – there are no picky states where they are most fertile .
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
Size:11.0 – 12.2 in ( 28 – 31 centimeter )
This Picidae is known by many , many unlike name – and you may well have seen it referred to as the Yellow or reddened - shaft Flicker . It ’s a fairly mutual bird and is also one of the magnanimous woodpeckers living across the state . Unlike most peckers , however , they lean to feast mainly on land insects – ant , in particular ! This Flicker will choose to skip around to eat , but may even choose to site itself on branches occasionally when it take to a yield treat or two .
The Northern Flicker has plumage colouration that can vary ( hence its many public figure ) , but you’re able to usually spot these birds thanks to their flecked white tie and tails and wing . They often have smutty markings around their nerve and crests , and you ’ll be able-bodied to enjoin them apart from other Picidae on gossamer size alone .
Northern Flickers tend to live out east but can be find high up in the northwesterly compass of Alaska , and even down towards the west coast – that applies to the yellow - cheat variety , in any case ! Flickers of this genus tend to be fairly vernacular across the US , with almost ten million specimens estimated at present in North America .
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
Size:5.5 – 6.7 in ( 14 – 17 cm )
unfeignedly petite , the cunning sericeous woodpecker is a Picidae that ’s common across the north to central states . In fact , they are the small-scale native woodpeckers in the country . They tend to prefer milder climate on the whole but are known to locomote around . They practice sharp , individual calls , and be given to enjoy feed on seeded player in feeder . If you have any woodpeckers in your backyard , there is a very good chance it is a Dryobates pubescens . They are just bigger than your common garden sparrow .
Exceptionally diminished but unabashedly noisy , the downy woodpecker is largely blackened and white with spots , and the males tend to have red crown . They have varying muscae volitantes and stripes across their offstage and plumage – mean that neither one nor two may ever search the same !
The downy woodpecker lives just about everywhere across the United States , with sightings across states as diverse as Florida and Alaska ! If the clime is mild enough – and not too cheery – then there ’s every chance you ’ll spot this bird in your yard . There are around 13 million of them across the continent .
How to Attract Alaska Woodpeckers to Your Yard
require to see more woodpeckers in your backyard ?
As you’re able to see , there are more than a few marvellous woodpecker species to look out for across Alaska . Some may not flock to gardens and backyard in party favour of forests and woodland reaches – however , there ’s a chance a rare bird or two may make its way to you .
If you ’re keen to set off spot woodpeckers in your pace , why not take a look at our guide onhow to attract woodpeckers ? That ’ll give you the basics of what ’s required to attract woodpeckers .
Then , we ’d recommend reading our buyer ’s scout onchoosing the secure woodpecker birdfeeder . Setting up a pecker feeder or two is the good way to undertake that pecker will inspect your thou . While you ’re at it , do ensure to read our full guide onwhat to feed pecker , too – as getting their diet right wing will make a lot of difference !
There are a crowd of other ways to attract pecker such asgetting a bird bathand planting native trees that pecker love .
All State Woodpeckers
Want to see what woodpecker species are found in other states ? Here ’s our complete lean of woodpecker find in each province :
