# Name this Bird **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-bird/608294 "2012-01-03T21:23:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-bird/608294/1 "2012-01-03T21:23:09Z")
I am on vacation in Philadelphia. It is wintertime here and a nice suet hangs outside my window. Mostly I get sparrows. Yesterday and today I got a bird a bit larger than a sparrow with black and white wings (“Like a bar code” my wife says) and a red tuft or small crest on the (male’s?) head. This ought to be easy. Easier if we could post photos. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-bird/608294/2 "2012-01-03T21:28:28Z")
[Downy woodpecker](http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Downy_Woodpecker/id/ac)? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-bird/608294/3 "2012-01-03T21:38:47Z")
Irving. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-bird/608294/4 "2012-01-03T21:51:19Z")
Downy Woodpecker. I woud have never guessed, very finch-like beak. Go figure. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-bird/608294/5 "2012-01-03T22:03:41Z")
Huh. I never see sparrows going to suet unless they’re really desperate. Me, I get a lot of titmice and the occasional chickadee, plus the local downies. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-bird/608294/6 "2012-01-04T05:26:34Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Downy Woodpecker. I woud have never guessed, very finch-like beak. Go figure. > > Thanks. Note that the Hairy Woodpecker, which appears under “similar species” on the linked page, is very similar but a little larger and longer-billed. The Downy would perhaps be more likely at a city feeder, but either is possible. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-bird/608294/7 "2012-01-04T16:57:05Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Note that the Hairy Woodpecker, which appears under “similar species” on the linked page, is very similar but a little larger and longer-billed. Here’s a tip I got from an experienced birdwatcher: - Downy woodpecker: distance from back of head to base of bill is noticeably greater than the length of the bill. - Hairy woodpecker: distance from back of head to base of bill is about equal to the length of the bill. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-bird/608294/8 "2012-01-04T17:15:46Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Here’s a tip I got from an experienced birdwatcher: > > - Downy woodpecker: distance from back of head to base of bill is noticeably greater than the length of the bill. > - Hairy woodpecker: distance from back of head to base of bill is about equal to the length of the bill. That’s useful, but what I look for for confirmation is the presence or absence of black barring on the white outer tail feathers (Downy has it, Hairy doesn’t).