Canadian Geographic Photo Club

by Scott_Young from Cambridge CA on 10 Feb 2026

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I have always found it a challenge telling the difference between the Hairy, and Downy Woodpeckers. The most common feature to look for is the size of the beak. Hairy have a much longer beak than the Downy and tend to be a bit larger overall. The female Hairy, like the Downy female, lack the red mark on the nape of the head, seen on the males.

Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Focal: 552 mm
Shutter speed: 0.0015625 sec
Aperture: f/ 8

tagged: hairy_woopecker woodpeckers woodpecker birds bird winter wintertime ontario canada cangeo conservation wildlife perch animal vertebrate beak black hairy_woodpecker downy_woodpecker wing grey terrestrial_animal