SCOTT SHALAWAY Meet the woodpeckers

Chickadees may have more personality, and nuthatches are perhaps more acrobatic, but I consider woodpeckers the most charismatic birds in my backyard. They don't sneak on and off the feeders like many smaller birds. They swoop into the yard and often announce their approach with a loud distinctive call. When woodpeckers arrive, other birds vamoose. Call it pizzazz, panache, or chutzpah -- woodpeckers have it. It's why I find them so much fun to watch and worth getting to know. Here's a brief introduction to the woodpeckers likely to visit your backyard, especially if you offer suet or nuts.
Downy woodpeckers are the smallest and most common woodpeckers in North America. Recognize this friendly, black-and-white species by its completely white back. Only the larger hairy woodpecker (nine inches vs. seven inches in length) shares this diagnostic feature. Hairies also have much larger bills than downies.
A downy's bill is diminutive, shorter than the length of its head. A hairy's bill is heavy and longer than its head. Using just this single characteristic, downies and hairies are usually easily identified in the field.
The sexes of both species can be distinguished by a patch of red on the nape. Males have it; females don't.
More willing
Though both downies and hairies are woodland birds, downies seem more willing to venture into backyards and open areas. That's why they are such common feeder birds.
Recognize red-bellied woodpeckers by the black and white zebra striping on their back. A closer look reveals a white rump, white wing patches in flight, and red on the head. The entire top of the male's head, from the base of the bill to the base of the neck, is bright red. Females have only a red nape. The face, throat and chest are off-white, and the belly is tinged with an anemic rosy wash. Don't expect a bright red belly.
Despite the deceptive name, red-bellies are spectacular birds. Their chunky build, large bill and nearly 10-inch length makes them easy to recognize. And like most woodpeckers, they bounce through the air in an easy undulating flight.
Red-bellied woodpeckers inhabit open woods and frequently visit wooded backyards. Among the foods they find irresistible are suet, peanut butter, orange slices, sunflowers seeds, and nuts.
Aptly-named
Yellow-bellied sapsuckers are more aptly named than red-bellies -- they have yellow bellies, and they drink sap. They also have a white rump, two white lines running along the sides of the head, and a bright red forehead. Males have red throats; females' throats are white. Because sapsuckers usually migrate, they are uncommon feeder birds.
In the spring they drill rows of sap "wells" along the trunks of a wide variety of both deciduous and coniferous trees. Sapsucker wells have been found on more than 275 species of trees. Wells are about a quarter-inch in diameter and ooze a steady stream of sugary sap. Sapsuckers lap the sap up with their bristle-tipped tongues. The sap also attracts insects, so sap wells provide protein as well as energy.
Pileated (PIE-lee-ated is the preferred pronunciation, PIL-ee-ated is acceptable) woodpeckers are large, crested, black, white and red woodpeckers that inhabit mature forests. Because they are about the size of crows, they require trees large enough to accommodate their nest and roost cavities.
That's why they seek mature forests. Young timber stands simply don't have trees large enough to meet their needs. Older stands also provide the dead and decaying branches, logs and stumps that shelter carpenter ants, pileateds' favorite food. Tempt these impressive woodpeckers with suet.
Another migrant
The final backyard woodpecker that sometimes visits backyards is the northern flicker. Another migrant, this 12-inch brown bird has black bars across its back, black spots on its belly, a white rump and a black bib. Male flickers here in the east wear a prominent black "moustache." Males out west have a red moustache. Females have unmarked faces.
Unlike most woodpeckers, flickers prefer open country with few scattered trees. They are common on farms. If you see a large brown woodpecker feeding on the ground in your yard, it's probably a flicker -- eating ants.
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