The hairy woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus) is a medium-sized woodpecker native to forests across North America. With their distinctively long bills and black and white plumage, hairy woodpeckers are a familiar sight in many wooded areas.
In recent decades, some observers have expressed concern that hairy woodpecker populations may be declining in parts of their range. Loss of nesting and foraging habitat is thought to be one of the major threats facing this species. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the conservation status of the hairy woodpecker and try to determine if this unique woodpecker is truly at risk.
Hairy Woodpecker Overview
The hairy woodpecker is one of the most widespread woodpecker species in North America. Their range extends from Alaska across Canada and the western United States to the Atlantic coast, and from the boreal forests of the north down into Mexico.
These medium-sized woodpeckers measure 7 to 10 inches in length and have a wingspan of 13 to 17 inches. As their name suggests, hairy woodpeckers have several distinctive features that set them apart from other woodpeckers:
- They have a long chisel-like bill that is perfect for excavating deep into wood.
- Their plumage is primarily black and white, with males having a red patch on the back of the head.
- They have long white facial stripes.
- They have relatively large feet with two toes facing forward and two facing backward that allow them to tightly grip vertical surfaces.
- The feathers on their back and rump have a stiff, hair-like texture, giving the species its common name.
Hairy woodpeckers inhabit mature forests across a wide range of habitat types. They prefer stands of tall trees and snags that provide ample nesting and roosting cavities. Although they are sometimes seen in urban areas with large trees, they are more closely associated with natural forest habitats.
Dead and dying trees are vitally important to hairy woodpeckers, as they excavate cavities for nesting and roosting in softer snags. Hairy woodpeckers will also forage on dead branches and tree trunks, using their powerful bill to dig into the wood in search of the insects that dwell inside.
Diet and Foraging
The hairy woodpecker’s diet consists mainly of insects and other arthropods gleaned from trees. Major food sources include:
- Wood-boring beetle larvae
- Ants
- Caterpillars
- Spiders
- Other boring insects
This woodpecker uses its long barbed tongue to extract insects from tunnels and crevices in wood. Its uniquebill is specially adapted for chiseling, flaking, and excavating into wood to reach food sources. Hairy woodpeckers will also sometimes eat fruits, nuts, sap, and cambium tissue from trees.
To find food, hairy woodpeckers employ a variety of foraging strategies:
- Gleaning insects from the surface of trees and branches
- Probing into crevices and under bark
- Tapping and excavating into wood to extract insects
- Flaking off large sections of loose bark
- Drilling into healthy trees and fallen logs in search of larvae and other insects
They often forage in a zig-zag pattern up, down, and around the trunk and branches of trees. Their stiff tail feathers provide an important brace as they move along vertical surfaces. Hairy woodpeckers will cover a large feeding range as they search for food each day.
Breeding and Nesting
Hairy woodpeckers breed between April and July across their range. They are monogamous and mate pairs usually stay together for more than one breeding season.
The nest is excavated by both sexes over a period of 1 to 2 weeks in a dead or dying tree, or sometimes a utility pole. The cavity entrance is only just large enough to allow the adult birds to enter. Inside, the female lays between 3 to 6 glossy white eggs.
Both parents share in incubating the eggs for around 12 days before they hatch. The chicks are born naked and helpless. Once the chicks hatch, the parents take turns bringing food back to the nest cavity to feed the young. The chicks are ready to leave the nest around 28 to 30 days after hatching.
Hairy woodpeckers are somewhat unusual in that they will rear 2 broods per year. After successfully fledging their first set of chicks, the adults may start excavating a new nest in order to raise a second brood.
Population and Conservation Status
The hairy woodpecker has an extremely large range and is found in a variety of forested habitat across North America. According to the 2016 State of North America’s Birds report, hairy woodpeckers have experienced a 66% population increase since 1970. The estimated global breeding population is 15 million, with 79% spending part of the year in the U.S.
They are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Their population is considered stable with no evidence of significant decline at this time.
While hairy woodpeckers still appear relatively abundant, they do face some conservation threats primarily stemming from habitat loss:
- Logging of old growth forests reduces potential nesting sites.
- Forest fragmentation limits their ability to disperse and establish new territories.
- In some regions, a lack of forest fires and beetle outbreaks decreases the number of dead/dying trees for cavity nesting.
- Urbanization and agriculture can eliminate native forests.
However, hairy woodpeckers are resourceful and will readily use human-made structures for nesting if no natural sites are available. Their ability to inhabit disturbed habitats means they can persist even near human developments if adequate food resources exist.
Overall, hairy woodpeckers have proven to be a resilient species when faced with some degree of habitat loss across their range. While conservation of mature and old growth forests remains important for their long-term outlook, the hairy woodpecker’s population appears to be in no immediate danger.
Fun Facts About Hairy Woodpeckers
Beyond their vital role in forest ecosystems, hairy woodpeckers have some remarkable traits that make them fascinating to observe and study:
- Their tongue has barbs at the tip that can wrap around insects beneath bark and pull them out.
- Their feet have four toes, two facing forward and two backward, that allow them to securely grip vertical surfaces.
- They have stiff tail feathers that act as a prop against tree trunks and branches.
- The feathers above their nostrils help prevent debris from entering their nasal cavity while chiseling.
- Their bill shape and chisel-pointed tip are perfectly adapted for excavating wood.
- They have specialized shock-absorbing vertebrae in their neck to help cushion the impact from rapid pounding against wood.
In addition to their unique physical adaptations, hairy woodpeckers exhibit complex social behaviors and interactions between mated pairs. Their ability to excavate nest cavities benefits many other wildlife species that cannot create their own tree cavity.
Conclusion
The hairy woodpecker remains a widespread and thriving species found across the forests of North America. While they face some logging and habitat loss concerns in certain portions of their range, current population trends suggest they are in little danger of decline or extinction. Their ability to adapt to human disturbance and inhabit a variety of forest types and conditions will likely ensure hairy woodpeckers remain a vital part of North American ecosystems for the foreseeable future.
Though not considered endangered, conservation efforts aimed at preserving standing dead trees and mature forest stands with ample nesting cavities will provide long term benefits for hairy woodpeckers. Continued monitoring of local populations, protection of high quality habitat, and public education remain important factors for the ongoing survival of this unique forest woodpecker.