Fauna Flora Photography

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus

A mid-sized woodpecker commonly seen in the forests around Montreal. Males have a small red patch on the back of the head.

Specs

Length25-30cm
Weight70-100g
Wingspan40-44cm

Common Names

GermanHaarspecht
EnglishHairy Woodpecker
FrenchPic chevelu
SpanishPico velloso

Taxonomy

OrderPiciformes
FamilyPicidae
SpeciesPicoides villosus

How to Identify

There is one species which is very similar to the Hairy Woodpecker and covering the same areas displaying same behavior. To identify this species, I look at the length of the beak which exceeds significantly one third of the width of the head when being seen from the side.

Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) - Parc Nature Pointe aux Prairies - 2016-03-22
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) - Parc Angrignon - 2016-03-06

Where and When to Spot

All year long in the forests around Montreal. Best season is winter as due to lack of foliage the bird can be spotted more easily. Just sit down and watch. After some time a Hairy Woodpecker will pass by walking up the tree trunks searching for insects.

SpringSummerFallWinter
Belvédère Outremont x - - -
Jardin Botanique de Montréal x - - -
Parc Angrignon x x - x
Parc Bernard-Landry - - x -
Parc Michel-Chartrand x - - x
Parc Nature Pointe aux Prairies x - - x
Parc de la Frayère x - - -

Where and when a species has been observed, identified, and recorded.


Last updated on 2024-03-14. Written and regularly updated by Karl-Heinz Müller, Dipl. Natw. ETH, Biology. With 10 years of experience in wildlife photography, Karl-Heinz shares first-hand, on-site collected observations, photos and videos from his frequent visits to parks in the Montreal area.