Across most of North America, you can spot Hairy Woodpeckers creeping up the sides of mature deciduous trees. They also do well in coniferous and mixed forests, foraging for insects under tree bark and searching for berries, seeds, and sap.

Compared to other woodpeckers, they are medium-sized. They have a sharp, probing beak perfect for digging into tough tree bark. They have black wings with sharp white spots. Their heads are rounded and streaked black and white. Males have a red patch on the back of their heads. A geographically dispersed species, Hairy Woodpeckers’ plumage varies by region. Eastern birds have heavy white spotting on their wings, while western birds have darker wings. The Pacific Northwest variety has brown-tinted underparts, in contrast to the crisp white underparts of the Eastern and Western varieties.