South Dakota is a state where the West meets the East, and this characteristic is reflected in the wildlife it supports. Take, for example, its woodpeckers. Here, you will find species that are common either in the eastern or the western half of the US. The northern flicker has both the red-shafted (West Coast variant) and yellow-shafted (East Coast variant) subspecies living here. The two types even hybridize in South Dakota.
Different Types of Woodpeckers Found in South Dakota
Name
Identifying Features
Where They Are Found in South 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
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 the back of the head, black and white barred plumage
Woodlands, forests, and suburban areas
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow belly and white stripes on wings
Forested areas, orchards, and wooded suburban neighborhoods
Red-headed Woodpecker
Entirely red head and neck
Sparse populations in open woodlands and along rivers
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Black and white plumage
Found in remote coniferous forests
Black-backed Woodpecker
Black back with white spots, white underside
Dense coniferous forests in the northern parts of the state
Red-naped Sapsucker
Red patch on nape, white belly
Forested areas, parks, and wooded suburbs
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Dark greenish-black plumage, pink belly
Open woodlands, burned areas, and river valleys
Williamson’s Sapsucker
Black and white plumage, red throat and chest
Coniferous forests and mixed woodlands in western South Dakota
The American three-toed and black-backed woodpeckers can only be seen in the Black Hills National Forest of South Dakota. The Lewis’s woodpecker is also mainly found there but occurs in other places in the western part of the state as well. It is because the said national forest has habitats unique to the surrounding areas, making it an oasis for wildlife. The woodpeckers especially prefer its abundant ponderosa pine trees.
