Woodpeckers in Florida

Are there woodpeckers in Florida? The Sunshine State might be known for waterbirds, but it also has lots of woodpeckers!

Go birding in Florida; it won’t be long before you see some woodpeckers. Red-bellied Woodpeckers call from palms and other trees, Downy Woodpeckers are backyard birds, and several other woodpeckers are also easy to see.

There are eight different woodpecker species that are commonly seen in Florida, but over time, there have been reports of even ten different species!

Have you seen woodpeckers in Florida? Could you identify all of those birds?

This list of the common Florida woodpeckers will help!

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Woodpeckers in Florida
Frequently Asked Questions

Using eBird data, we made a list of the eight most common woodpecker species in Florida.

To help recognize these beautiful birds and learn more about them, we have included information about their field marks and behavior.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Scientific name: Melanerpes carolinus

Length: 9.25 inches
Wingspan: 16 inches

Red-bellied Woodpeckers are bold birds with a long, dark, chisel-like beak, and backs with zebra-like barring. They also have black and white bars on their long, closed wings, and a bold white rump with some black speckling.

Despite their name, it’s really hard to see the red on this bird’s underparts! Although they do have a bit of red or reddish-orange, it’s hidden on the lower part of their belly.

The rest of their underparts and face are a pale gray-buff color, and they have a bit of orange above their beak.

Male Red-bellied Woodpeckers have bright red on their crown and nape. Females only have red on their nape and young birds only show a bit of orange on the back of their head.

We see pairs of this common woodpecker species in all sorts of woodlands. As long as big trees are present, they can even live in urban areas, and often come to feeders.

Key identifications:

In most of their range, Red-bellied Woodpeckers are the only woodpecker species that has zebra-like, black and white barring on their back and wings.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers have a pale face and red on their nape.
This species has plain buff-gray underparts.

Downy Woodpecker

Scientific name: Dryobates pubescens

Length: 6.75 inches
Wingspan: 12 inches

Downy Woodpeckers are small, cute woodpeckers with black and white plumage. They have bold, black and white markings on their heads, black and white wings, and white underparts.

They also have a white back, black rump, and black and white tail. This woodpecker is slightly bigger than a sparrow and has white, tufted feathers above its short beak.

Male Downy Woodpeckers have a small red patch on the back part of their head. Females look like males but lack this red patch, and young birds have red on the top of their heads.

This small bird is common in all sorts of wooded habitats. They like to use their small beaks to peck into twigs and often forage with flocks of chickadees and other birds.

This beautiful little woodpecker is also a regular visitor to backyards and can live in urban areas with lots of trees. They also come to bird feeders, especially ones that offer suet and peanuts.

Key identifications:

Downy Woodpeckers are smaller than all other woodpeckers in North America. They are nearly as small as a House Sparrow.
This species has a short and stubby beak (for a woodpecker).
Downy Woodpeckers have small dark markings on their white outer tail feathers.

Pileated Woodpecker

Scientific name: Dryocopus pileatus

Length: 16.5 inches
Wingspan: 29 inches

Pileated Woodpeckers are really big woodpeckers. These hefty birds are nearly the same size as an American Crow!

If the Ivory-billed Woodpecker is actually extinct, that makes the Pileated Woodpecker the biggest woodpecker in North America.

These unmistakable woodpeckers are mostly black with a thick white line on each side of their neck, and a white throat.

They also have a red crest and a long, grayish beak. Males have a small red moustache while females have a black line that extends from their beak to their neck.

Pileated Woodpeckers also have a small white patch on the upper part of each wing. It’s easier to see this mark and the white underwings when the big woodpecker takes flight.

This fantastic woodpecker lives in forests and woodlands with lots of big, mature trees. For that reason, we don’t usually see them in urban areas. However, they can visit feeders at houses next to or within forest!

Key identifications:

In most places, Pileated Woodpeckers are the only big black and white woodpecker with a red crest.
This species has a small white patch near the tip of each upperwing. They also have white wing linings.
Pileated Woodpeckers have a lot of white on their face and a completely black back.

Red-headed Woodpecker

Scientific name: Melanerpes erythrocephalus

Length: 9.25 inches
Wingspan: 17 inches

Red-headed Woodpeckers are beautiful, medium-sized woodpeckers with a completely deep red head. Adults of both sexes look alike and have a sharp gray bill, and bright white underparts.

Their upperparts are glossy black with a snow-white rump, and big white patches on their wings. Juvenile Red-headed Woodpeckers have a similar plumage pattern but have a gray-brown head, and some dark markings on their wings and underparts.

This striking bird prefers semi-open habitats with mature oaks, snags, and other big trees. We see them on golf courses, at the edges of rivers and other wetlands, and other places with similar-looking habitat.

In some places, this beautiful bird also occurs in urban areas, especially in the southeastern USA.

Red-headed Woodpeckers like to peck into trees like other woodpeckers, but they also catch insects in flight. With that in mind, we often see them sallying into the air from tall snags next to open areas.

Key identifications:

Red-headed Woodpeckers are the only woodpecker species in eastern North America with an entirely red head.
This species has a unique wing pattern with big white patches on the base of each wing.
The Red-headed Woodpecker has a black tail and an extensive white rump.

Northern Flicker

Photograph © Glenn Bartley.

Scientific name: Colaptes auratus

Length: 12.5 inches
Wingspan: 20 inches

Northern Flickers are big, unique, gray and tan woodpeckers with bold white rumps. They have buff underparts with black spotting and a bold black patch on their chest, and fine black barring on their back and wings.

This species has some differences depending on where they live. Birds east of the Rocky Mountains have a small red spot on their nape and a black mustache mark (males). Eastern birds also have bright yellow underwings. Eastern birds are called Yellow-shafted Flickers, while the western birds are called Red-shafted Flickers.

In the west, Northern Flickers have grayer heads, and males have a red mustache. They also have reddish on their underwings.

Northern Flickers love parks, golf courses, and other semi-open habitats. In such places, we often see them in bounding flight, or perched on the ground as they forage for ants. These noisy birds also make laughing calls and “wicka-wicka” vocalizations.

Since this species eats ants, it rarely, if ever, comes to bird feeders.

Key identifications:

In most of their range, Northern Flickers are the only woodpecker with gray and brown plumage.
This species has a gray crown and fine black barring on its tan-colored back.
Northern Flickers also have a black chest patch and black spotting on their underparts.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Scientific name: Sphyrapicus varius

Length: 8.5 inches
Wingspan: 16 inches

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are pretty, medium-sized woodpeckers with white shoulders. They have a black and white face, black chest, and uneven black and white barring on their backs.

This woodpecker species has pale yellow on its underparts, small black markings on its sides, and a red patch on its head.
Males also have a red throat bordered with black, while females have a white throat. Juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers look like adults but are more dingy gray-brown, and lack red on their heads.

This migratory species likes to peck rows of small holes in deciduous trees. It drinks the sap that comes out, as well as insects attracted to the sap.

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers breed in northern and montane forests, but winter in Florida. It’s possible to see them in parks and other woodland habitats.

Key identifications:

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are the only woodpeckers in most of their range with white shoulders.
This species has a black chest and uneven barring on its sides.
The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has lots of uneven, mottled black and white barring on its back.

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Scientific name: Dryobates borealis

Length: 8 inches
Wingspan: 14.2 inches

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are smallish, black and white woodpeckers with black and white barring on their backs. They have a big white patch on each side of their head, a thick black moustache mark, and white underparts with small black markings on their sides.

Despite their name, it’s pretty hard to see the red on this bird! It takes a close, careful look to see the small red spot on the male’s head.

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are locally common at scattered sites in the southeastern USA. It used to be much more common but declined as old growth forests were logged throughout its range.

This species lives in small social groups and requires mature Longleaf Pines for nesting. Unlike other birds, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers only nest in live pines because the resin or pine sap that comes out of their holes helps protect their nests from snakes.

Fortunately, forests in many areas are carefully managed to protect this special little woodpecker.

Key identifications:

Each side of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker’s head is mostly white. Unlike several other black and white woodpeckers, it does not have a black line going back from the eye.
This species has black and white barring on its back.
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers have small black markings on their sides.

Hairy Woodpecker

Scientific name: Dryobates villosus

Length: 9.25 inches
Wingspan: 15 inches

Hairy Woodpeckers are medium-sized, black and white woodpeckers with a fairly long and sharp beak. They have a bold black and white pattern on their head, white back, black rump, and black and white wings.

Hairy Woodpeckers also have white underparts and a pale front. Males have a small red patch on the back of their heads, females lack this patch, and juveniles have a red patch on top of their heads.

If that description sounds like a Downy Woodpecker, it’s true, these two species look almost exactly the same! However, in addition to the details mentioned below, they also differ in another way.

While Downy Woodpeckers like second-growth and plants with thin stems, Hairy Woodpeckers only live in places with big, mature trees. They are not too common in Florida, but their numbers are steady year-round.

Key identifications:

Hairy Woodpeckers have noticeably longer beaks than Downy Woodpeckers, and are also larger birds.
The Hairy Woodpecker has a big white patch on its back.
This species has plain white underparts and clean white outer tail feathers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common woodpecker in Florida?

The most common woodpecker in Florida is the Red-bellied Woodpecker. According to eBird sightings, this handsome bird has been seen more often than any other woodpecker species in the state.

What is the red-headed woodpeckers of Florida?

The red-headed woodpeckers of Florida could any of several species with red on their heads. These might be Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Red-headed Woodpeckers, or Pileated Woodpeckers.

What kinds of habitats do woodpeckers live in Florida?

The kinds of habitats where woodpeckers live in Florida are woodlands and places with lots of big trees. These include wooded parks, backyards, pine forests, cypress swamps, and other places.

Are woodpeckers protected in Florida?

Yes, woodpeckers are protected in Florida. Like other native species, they are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Where do woodpeckers nest in Florida?

In Florida, woodpeckers nest in cavities in dead trees, dead palms, and snags on live trees throughout the state. One species, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker, nests in live trees.

Woodpeckers in Florida – 8 Common Species [Field Guide]