HAIRY WOODPECKER, PRESQU'ILE PROVINCIAL PARK, BRIGHTON, ON

   We can ID this woodpecker as a Hairy Woodpecker, rather than the very similar Downy Woodpecker mainly by its relatively large size.  We were able to get within a few feet of it and could easily determine it was in the 9-10" range (Hairy Woodpecker), rather than the 6-7" range (Downy Woodpecker).  Other field marks which indicate a Hairy Woodpecker are:

• Long, chisel like bill which is almost the size of the head.  The Downy Woodpecker's bill is short, dainty and about 1/3 the size of the head.
• The red patch of this male is split in two.  This occurs on the Hairy Woodpecker, but not the Downy Woodpecker.

   The Hairy Woodpecker is a new species to our Life List, which now stands at 300.