Our last lesson covered types of finches. In this lesson we're looking at another type of bird which can be similar to each other - the woodpecker.
With some suet feeders up, you should be able to bring in at least downy and hairy woodpeckers - even if you find it hard to tell them apart! You might also get in some red-bellies after a while, if it's quiet enough, and some flickers.
 | Downy Woodpecker The downy is the smallest of the woodpeckers in this set. It loves suet, and is smaller than the hairy. Note that its beak is short. |
 | Hairy Woodpecker The key with the hairy woodpecker is to look at its beak. It's as long as its head is! If you get one up next to a downy, you can also see that it's much larger. |
 | Red Bellied Woodpecker These woodpeckers are shy, and even though the name is "red belly" it's far more noticeable that they have a red striped head. If your suet is in a quiet spot, you should see one or two of these after a while. |
Woodpeckers are definitely on the shy side, and love suet. So to see them, put out a few suet holders, and leave them in the quieter areas of the yard.
Learning your Backyard Birds
