North Dakota is not a woodpecker hotspot. It doesn’t come as a surprise as the state ranks as the least forested state in the US. Despite that, it hosts around eleven woodpecker species, including some rare types.
The northern flicker, one of the commonest in the Peace Garden State, has its red- and yellow-shafted varieties living here. This is a state where you can even find hybrids of the two. Eastern ND forms the breeding range of the yellow-bellied sapsucker. It spends the summer here and heads south for the winter.
Different Types of Woodpeckers Found in North Dakota
Name
Identifying Features
Where They Are Found in North Dakota
Downy Woodpecker
Small size, black and white plumage, red spot on the back of the head
Throughout the state
Hairy Woodpecker
Larger than Downy, similar plumage
Wooded areas, forests, and suburban neighborhoods
Northern Flicker
Brown plumage with black spots, white rump
Open areas, woodlands, and urban parks
Red-headed Woodpecker
Entirely red head and neck
Sparse populations in open woodlands and along rivers
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow belly and white stripes on wings
Forested areas, orchards, and wooded suburban neighborhoods
Pileated Woodpecker
Large size, striking red crest, black and white plumage
Forested areas and wooded parks throughout the state
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red patch on back of head, black and white barred plumage
Woodlands, forests, and suburban areas
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Black and white plumage, three-toed feet
Found in remote coniferous forests
Black-backed Woodpecker
Black back with white spots, white underside
Dense coniferous forests in northern parts of the state
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Dark greenish-black plumage, pink belly
Open woodlands, burned areas, and river valleys
Acorn Woodpecker
Black and white plumage, distinctive red cap and throat
Oak woodlands and forests in limited parts of the state
The red-headed woodpecker, a near-threatened species, has undergone a significant decline in their population in North Dakota despite it being their breeding ground. Nevertheless, their highest numbers have been recorded in the upper part of the Little Missouri River, the southern part of the Red River Valley, and the lower Missouri River Valley.
