Many of the woodpeckers are native to North America since the demography of the area matches with the preferred habitat zones for the woodpecker family.
Out of all the states, Wisconsin stands out as a host to around 10 species of woodpeckers. Most of them are year-round inhibitors while a couple of them find shelter here during winter.
These woodpeckers in Wisconsin are evidence that this state has decreed sufficient laws and policies to allow such birds to roam freely and breed efficiently.
Thus, you’ll notice that all of the woodpeckers enlisted in my list contain ‘Least Concern’ status as the preservation works are in full action.
So, buckle up and check out the 10 species I’ve described in my article to make your woodpecker identifications spot-on at every instance!
Contents
Woodpeckers of Wisconsin: Species Analyzed
The woodpecker species you’ll find in Wisconsin are quite different from one another. Doesn’t mean there’s no similarity at all, but an in-depth study should tell you how they are all unique creatures in the midwest!
Red-Headed Woodpecker
Source: @egmuniphotography
- Scientific Name: Melanerpes erythrocephalus
- Size: 19 to 25 cm (7.5 to 9.8 in)
- Locality: Temperate North America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Second week of May to third week of August
Red-Headed Woodpeckers are signified based on their scarlet head portion that covers till the neck part in this vibrant tone. This omnivorous species reached near danger status back in 2018, but preservation measures saw their numbers increase and a firm placement into the LC category.
Recognition
Apart from the gorgeous redhead, there exist two more colors on this species’ feathers. The back is of solid black with a fluffy, white belly region setting a stark contrast. At the tail, there’s a wide white patch isolating the blacks of tail ends, rendering it an easy bird to identify in nature!
Habitat
This species is a native woodpecker in Wisconsin, roaming the temperate forests in large numbers. They migrate during winters but a known tendency of these birds is to hoard food in tree cavities. At a higher level of tall trees, they either find or create holes to plant their nest, incubate and store food for the future.
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Source: @corbyamos
- Scientific Name: Melanerpes carolinus
- Size: 22.85 to 26.7 cm (9.00 to 10.51 in)
- Locality: Eastern United States
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Spring and Summer
Red-Bellied Woodpeckers are a common sight in Wisconsin and they are one of those white-bellied small, black birds from the Picidae family. These woodpeckers are quite popular for their ability to make loud noises, especially drum sounds they produce to attract their counterparts during mating season.
Recognition
Many observers mistake this species with Red-Headed Woodpeckers due to a similar red hood on top for the former. However, Red-Bellied is a woodpecker with a crown which is colored in bright orange and restricted to the nape area only. The black back is patterned with white, so that’s also a visible difference for clear identification.
Habitat
In the eastern parts of the United States, these birds have found their natural homes. In Wisconsin, Lake Mills Ledge and Faville Woods are the places these birds have formed their habitat zones. You’ll be able to observe them in these two places all year long if you’re in the state.
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
Source: @neemzambirdsto
- Scientific Name: Sphyrapicus varius
- Size: 19 to 21 cm (7.5 to 8.25 in)
- Locality: Canada and the northeastern United States
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: April to July
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker is one of those species widely known for consuming tree saps. As these birds exist in large numbers in the northeastern USA, their numbers are still declining which can be threatening in the future. That’s why they are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the country, making killing or catching them without permission illegal.
Recognition
The original tone of this species is more toward grayish, upon which black and white dense textures are formed. Feathers around the belly are a dirty yellow with intervention from the two initial colors. This yellow has extended to the face sides and on the back, while a tiny red crown sits on the nape.
Habitat
As I’ve already mentioned the broad localities of this species, they’re known to be breeding around the northern Wisconsin areas. The river valleys of western Wisconsin are also a place of their natural habitat. However, you’ll find it quite challenging to locate them during mating season.
Black-Backed Woodpecker
Source: @teachertombirds
- Scientific Name: Picoides arcticus
- Size: 23 cm (9.1 in)
- Locality: Forests of North America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: June to July
Black-Backed variant is a magnificent woodpecker in Wisconsin state. This species is known to make only one calling sound like a sharp pik and it’s one of the most signifying traits for them. They tend to excavate olden trees to make their home and this occurs twice a year, once before breeding and the other time before winter.
Recognition
Recognizing Black-Backed Woodpeckers is quite straightforward. The back region is a dark-knight black that ends up covering half of their face. The abdomen side is white with black patterns around the wings and the fringes. A yellow crown enhances the majestic nature of this feathery creature.
Habitat
These birds are spreaded across the cooler regions of North America, marking its boundary to the northern parts of Wisconsin. There, boreal forests of spruce and fir are among their most comfortable zones. They are agile around burnt-forest areas and collect food out of the recently burnt trees.
American Three-Toed Woodpecker
Source: @wildlife_geek_pix
- Scientific Name: Picoides dorsalis
- Size: 21 cm (8.3 in)
- Locality: North America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: March to May
As the name suggests, these are woodpeckers in Wisconsin with three toes, resembling their Black-Backed cousins. This species flourishes with beetle infested forest areas, especially with older trees of the spruce kind. It helps them in finding food as well as digging cavities on damaged barks.
Recognition
Such tiny birds are primarily black on top with a white underbelly. The wings are a mixture of black and white colors. Their shoulders as well as the neck sides are sprinkled with white on solid blacks. A white patch is visible on the face along with a yellow cap sitting on the head.
Habitat
Coniferous forests in the USA and Canada are their zones for feeding and breeding. Their distinct diet routine and habitation practices mentioned above are met perfectly in the state of Wisconsin. Thus, they are one of the most commonly found woodpeckers in that area who remain settled there even during winter!
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Source: @jennybowlden_photography
- Scientific Name: Melanerpes lewis
- Size: 26 to 28 cm (10.2 to 11.0 in)
- Locality: North America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Late April to July
Meriwether Lewis was the first to explore the purchased areas of the USA and to identify this bird species. Thus, the name was attributed to this bird as a tribute to this revered explorer. This red-chested bird shows migratory traits and is ranked among the larger woodpeckers in the country.
Recognition
The key identification mark is the red patch on the body that consumes a large portion, on the face as well as on the belly. Black head and back together with this dark shade of red create a menacing personality out of this species. The neck area is grayed out with black eyes staring out in the distance.
Habitat
Among the five midwestern states of America, its presence has been observed largely in Wisconsin, especially during winter. This state has been a go-to refuge habitat where food is in abundance inside pine-wood forests. There, you might come across this species perched up on a high branch looking out for potential hunt.
Downy Woodpecker
Source: @howdy.birdy
- Scientific Name: Dryobates pubescens
- Size: 14 to 18 cm (5.5 to 7.1 in)
- Locality: North America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: January to March
From one of the largest in America to the smallest – Downy Woodpeckers belong to the latter genre of birds. This species is spreaded all across the country as their natural habitats lie within forested areas. They are known to avoid desert territories due to lack of food and preferred nesting materials.
Recognition
Apart from the very tiny size, a notable aspect of Downy Woodpecker are the small, black bills. It’s astonishing really, how they manage to dig their way into trees to make their nest. Black back with white textures and a white underbelly is their common pattern. Male birds are separated with a small, red patch on the head which is absent on the female.
Habitat
You can find Downy Woodpeckers all year long in Wisconsin. If you want to spot one, deciduous forests of the state might fulfill your desire. They spend their summers foraging on deadening trees and take a deep shelter there during winter. In this season, you may even find one looking for food in your urban backyard!
Northern Flicker
Source: @whisperingmysticforest
- Scientific Name: Colaptes auratus
- Size: 28 to 36 cm (11 to 14 in)
- Locality: North America and parts of Central America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: March to June
Although Northern Flickers are one of the handful of woodpeckers in Wisconsin, they’re actually the state symbol of Alabama. Due to having five living subspecies and one extinct, they carry around 100 different names across localities, the most common alternative being “yellowhammer”.
Recognition
Despite being a woodpecker variant, it looks nothing like the other family members in terms of feather color and beak size. A faded yellow-ish golden is the base color, on which black, round spots are patched and a black bib is draped. With a pale yellow face, gray feathers surround the portion with a black bill pointing out.
Habitat
This species is often witnessed in open habitats and may even enter human parks or gardens from time to time. In Wisconsin, they prefer to live in the forests with old, tall trees and form cavities to plant their nests. They’re known to inhabit abandoned holes by other woodpeckers as well. In the western parts of the US, this species mostly lives in the mountains.
Hairy Woodpecker
Source: @chris.shoffner_photography
- Scientific Name: Leuconotopicus villosus
- Size: 18 to 26 cm (7.1 to 10.2 in)
- Locality: All over the Americas
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: February to June
With 17 subspecies recognized, this Least Concern stated woodpeckers have an almost 9 million population in North America. Hairy Woodpeckers are often mistaken for Downy Woodpeckers for their resemblance, but a close observation will show differences of crown and feather patterns.
Recognition
The colors on Hairy Woodpeckers are defined in simpler terms with only blacks and whites. White abdomen, black back and hints of patterns on the wings are the features that stand out the most. A red and white toned crown is placed on the nape with stray hair at the beak roots – where the ‘hairy’ title was derived from.
Habitat
This is probably one of the most common woodpeckers in Wisconsin because you’ll find them in backyard patios, gardens, urban parks or even graveyards. As per their natural habitat, forests of large trees and swamps are considered their most favorable territories. This pattern is observed all through the Americas, from far north to the south.
Pileated Woodpecker
Source: @jrosy
- Scientific Name: Dryocopus pileatus
- Size: 40 to 49 cm (16 to 19 in)
- Locality: North America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Late March and early April
The name Pileated Woodpeckers comes from the Latin word pileatus which translates into “capped” in English. This is because of the solid black patch etched on this bird’s chest. It’s the largest variant of Woodpeckers found in Wisconsin, sizing up to 19 inches when fully grown.
Recognition
Pileated Woodpecker is probably the benchmark of woodpeckers as its features are mimicked in comics or children’s textbooks. The blacks on the chest have a few accents of white dots with a similarly solid black back. Neck line starts to expose whites as it continues on to the face sides. A red spike of hair on top with a small red line on the face identifies an alluring bird of the USA!
Habitat
This species is completely native to Wisconsin, roaming in abundance all year round. A scatter of high trees seems to be their comfort zone, be that a large forest or a small one. Even parks that meet such wooded criteria often host this species to establish a permanent residence and plant their nests for breeding.
Thoughts
After this brief journey with woodpeckers in Wisconsin as our vibrant companions, we’ve reached the end point from where we must part ways.
Throughout the article, I’ve accounted for every species of woodpeckers that bear a great chance of getting spotted in the state.
Some can even be located around urban settlements while most others prefer the comforts of their habitat zones at the heart of nature.
They are protected by state laws, so make sure not to transgress that boundary to impose any discomfort upon these creatures.
Enjoying their sight from afar and learning about their behaviors is the best we can afford, if not, contributing to their preservation to ensure a safe locality for our wood-loving friends!
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Audio Credits: xeno-canto, wikimedia
