Hairy woodpecker

Male hairy woodpecker perched on a feeder hook in falling snow

The first snow of the season is often when the hairy woodpecker shows up. It lands on a feeder hook with a quiet tap rather than a hammering, black and white and neat as a tuxedo, with a bill nearly as long as its head. It looks a lot like a downy woodpecker that has been scaled up, and telling them apart is a rite of passage for Manitoba feeder watchers: the hairy is bigger, with a long, chisel-like bill.

Hairy woodpeckers stay in Manitoba all year, living in mature deciduous and mixed forest across the south and into the boreal. Males have a small red patch at the back of the head, while females are plain black and white. They drill into trees for beetle larvae and ants, and in winter they readily visit feeders for suet and sunflower seeds. In late winter and spring you may hear them drumming on a hollow branch to claim territory.

Curious about the hairy woodpecker and its habitat? Learn more on its page at All About Birds.

Field notes in photographs

  • Hairy woodpecker perched on a curved metal hook in falling snow
  • Hairy woodpecker perched on a metal hook against a dark background
  • Male hairy woodpecker with a red nape patch clinging to a post, black and white plumage
  • Male hairy woodpecker clinging to a wooden post with a red patch on its head
  • Hairy woodpecker - male downy woodpecker perched on a metal pole with a red patch on the head

Hairy woodpecker Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the hairy woodpecker in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the hairy woodpecker lives year-round, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the hairy woodpecker in Manitoba through the seasons: living year-round in the Boreal Shield, the Taiga Shield, the Boreal Plains, and the Prairies (teal). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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