Winter Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Help my sister and I ID this woody hammering away at the yucca stalk for seeds in her yard. This is the second woodpecker she’s seen in 2 Days (see notes below) Location: Valdez, NM (near Taos) in northern New Mexico. When: February 11, 2019 FYI: On 2-09-2019 she saw a woodpecker at same place but described it looking like a cross between a miniature Pileated and a larger Downy woodpecker (but smaller than a Hairy) as it had obvious red in its cap and lots of black laddering. We’re trying to figure out if this is the female version of the mystery woodpecker or if it’s an entirely different species of woody. I think the original woodpecker may be a Ladder-backed WP but not 100% sure. This one seems too big for Downy but not a Hairy either. https://vimeo.com/album/5756680 There should be 2 videos. The second one is probably better. Please let me know if the link fails to work. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Looks like a Downy to me. I don't think I've ever seen a Hairy cling to a thin plant stalk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 (edited) Haha! Yeah me neither! Quite the gregarious one too! It was getting the seeds from the yucca plant that had just finished flowering, apparently. To my eyes it just seems off for a Downy but then again I’m only familiar with eastern US Downy’s. My sister thought it seemed too big for a downy (but not as big as Hairy) and the stripes looked different, like more extensive and “messy” ... Any chance it could be a Ladder-backed woodpecker? Edited February 12, 2019 by Winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 (edited) I don't have experience with Ladder-backed, so I'm just comparing with photos, but I don't see any spots on its flanks or a U-shaped cheek pattern. Its moustachial stripes appear to attach to its shoulders which supports Downy. Edited February 12, 2019 by The Bird Nuts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 Thanks, The Bird Nuts! Downy it is then! (Hopefully, my sister will manage a few clearer shots of it in the coming days just to be 100% sure). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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