Like other woodpeckers, the Black-backed’s nest can be located in a hole in the trunk of a trees with chips or wood fibers in the bottom of the cavity. Females have brown feathers on the head and and black and white barred feather pattern on the body. Similar to Hairy Woodpecker, but smaller and with short, stubby bill. Of special interest is that males and females diverge in their physical appearance. In the east this is the most familiar member of the family, readily entering towns and city parks, coming to backyard bird feeders. The problem often comes when you try to tell different woodpeckers apart. Males have a black or red mustache from the base of the beak to below the eyes. No one outside the state talks much about the presence of Acorn Woodpeckers. Popular birds, they are welcome at many back yard feeders and especially enjoy a snack of suet and water. Suddenly that black and white coloring isn’t so distinctive! The entire state of Colorado is considered home year round for this easily-spotted chickadee. The head, covered in red feathers, along with a white stomach stands out in a crowded woodpecker field. Colorado is home to more than 450 different avian species, many of which are found in the diverse ecosystems just east of the Rocky Mountains. Dark wings have white shoulder patch. See Downy Woodpecker. A sparrow-sized, black and white woodpecker. This confusion arises when young great spotted woodpeckers leave the nest. Ron Knight/Flickr/CC by 2.0 . 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. Look for the also east of the Rocky Mountains. Black-backed Woodpecker: Small woodpecker with black back, black wings with white spots on flight feathers, barred flanks, white underparts. 3 4 0. The large, rectangular white patches on the wings make the lower back appear white when the bird is at rest. The color designation refers to the under the wing color of their tail and wing feathers. In the winter months, this woodpecker can be seen around active bird feeders where there is suet or black-oiled sunflower seeds to be had. Males, like the one pictured, have distinct black feathers on the head, complimented by white striped and a red throat. Pileated Woodpecker: Large woodpecker with mostly black body and white wing linings which are visible in flight. Female Downy Woodpecker on plum tree. More than any other native species, the purple to red hue on the feathers of the Lewis’s Woodpecker makes it stand out. Males have a black or red mustache extending from the base of the beak to below the eyes. The prominent red crest and white under-wing linings aid in identification. Downy and Hairy woodpeckers are almost lookalike Texas woodpeckers, common throughout most of the state. 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