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Birding/Woodpecker Identification in Michigan

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Expert: Julia Booth - 7/9/2008


Question

Woodpecker photo
I have what I believe is a woodpecker but it is gray in color. It has been at the suet with two other red-headed woodpeckers and other than the coloring, fully appears to be a woodpecker. It climbs/crawls up and down the tree like woodpecker and has the same beak. Can you ID it? Image attached, although not the best due to the angle. It has a very different distinctive call, which I first thought may be a breeding call. Thanks for any info. I am in the southwest area of lower Michigan.

Answer
It's difficult to say from the picture, but it could be a juvenile Northern Flicker -except it's missing the signature black breast patch. It could also be a juvenile of the same species -a red headed. Here's a link to an image of a juvenile red-headed woodpecker: http://home.att.net/~tandembike/powerout_files/birds2.htm

Julia Booth

Expertise

I can answer questions about bird identification (by sight or sound), behavior, distribution, population, conservation, mating, nesting, fledging and feeding. I do have some practical knowledge about foreign species, but identification skills are limited in that arena. Bear in mind that as much as I know, it's possible that at least some of you will ask a question that I am unable to answer. At which point I would direct you to wherever or whomever I thought could provide you with that information.

Experience

I have 15 years birding experience in Southern California.

Organizations
Audubon Society

Education/Credentials
My education is in art and photography -but I have a substantial portfolio of nature related work.

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