Field Guide for all the Birds of North America
Woodpeckers, Flickers & Sapsuckers
Pics
Picidae
Information, images and range maps on over 1,000 birds of North America, including sub-species, vagrants, introduced birds and possibilities
North American Bird Search Box
There are at least 16 types of woodpeckers in North America and this does not include the 4 types of sapsuckers, and the Red-shafted Flicker or Yellow-shafted Flicker that are known as the Northern Flickers, and the Gilded Flicker.
The Black-backed Woodpecker and the Three-toed Woodpecker are two of the most northern birds found most often in the northern conifers of Canada and in the American Rockies. The Downy Woodpecker and Hairy Woodpecker can be found throughout all of Canada and USA, with the Hairy Woodpecker being the most southern traveler of the two. The largest member of the woodpecker family is the Pileated Woodpecker and it is found across Canada and the eastern states. Two woodpeckers that are showing up in the southeastern portions of Canada, although they live in the eastern states; the Red-headed Woodpecker and the Red-bellied Woodpecker. The threatened Red-cockaded Woodpecker lives in the southeastern states but mostly in Florida.
The remaining 7 types of woodpeckers live in the central states into the western regions of the United States and Mexico. These are the Acorn Woodpecker, Arizona Woodpecker, Gila Woodpecker, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Lewis's Woodpecker and the Nuttall's Woodpecker.
The Ivory-billed Woodpecker, which has not been seen in North America since the late forties and early fifties, is considered extinct. In recent years there have been unconfirmed sightings of this bird, but up to now, concrete evidence of the actual bird has not occurred.
References to Other Bird Sites:
Avibase - the world bird database This site provides the user with a complete list of bird species, broken down per country, or in the example of the US or Canada, per state and province. Here, bird species names are available in other languages, a great asset to be used as a translation of foreign bird names.
ABA - American Birding Association This site represents an organization that maintains official records of all birds species that have been proven to have been seen inside the perimeters of the North American Continent and the surrounding bodies of water. Regular revised versions are posted to keep the bird list current at all times. This is the list used by all serious birders over their lifetime. You may be aware of the movie called the "Big Year". It was with this list that all the competing birders used in an attempt to set a new record as to how many bird species that could be seen by an individual birder in one calendar year.
I hope you will take advantage of these suggested websites. I have used each of them, in one way or another, throughout the years in my quest to better identify and understand our fine feathered friends.