Order Piciformes reported in Maine
 (Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Aves)

a project of
Maine Natural History Observatory
reproduced here with the permission of the Observatory

(updated 19 February 2025)



You are invited to send to info@vfthomas.com additions/corrections to the list of birds in Order Piciformes as well as information for the tabular keys on this page that will help distinguish one taxon from another.


In Maine, 9 species in 5 genera in 1 family (Picidae) have been reported. Click on a link below or scroll down for more information.

Family Picidae (5 genera, 9 species)
   Melanerpes (2 species)
      Melanerpes erythrocephalus - red-headed woodpecker
      Melanerpes carolinus - red-bellied woodpecker
   Sphyrapicus (1 species)
      Sphyrapicus varius - red-bellied sapsucker
   Picoides (4 species)
      Picoides dorsalis - American Three-toed Woodpecker
      Picoides arcticus - Black-backed Woodpecker
      Picoides pubescens - Downy Woodpecker
      Picoides villosus - Hairy Woodpecker
   Colaptes (1 species)
      Colaptes auratus - Northern Flicker
   Dryocopus (1 species)
      Dryocopus pileatus - Pileated Woodpecker





Family Picidae (common name?)

Key to the genera of Family Picidae reported in Maine (to be completed)
char. 1 char. 2 char. 3 char. 4 char. 5
Melanerpes
Sphyrapicus
Picoides
Colaptes
Dryocopus

Melanerpes (Woodpecker)
[information to be added]

Key to the species of Melanerpes reported in Maine
char. 1 char. 2 char. 3 char. 4 char. 5
M. erythrocephalus
M. carolinus

Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Red-headed Woodpecker) - [information to be added]

Melanerpes carolinus (Red-bellied Woodpecker) - [information to be added]


Sphyrapicus (Woodpecker)
[information to be added]

Sphyrapicus varius (Yellow-bellied Sapsucker) - [information to be added]


Picoides (Woodpecker)
[information to be added]

Key to the species of Picoides reported in Maine
char. 1 char. 2 char. 3 char. 4 char. 5
P. dorsalis
P. arcticus
P. pubescens
P. villosus

Picoides dorsalis (American Three-toed Woodpecker) - [information to be added]

Picoides arcticus (Black-backed Woodpecker) - [information to be added]

Picoides pubescens (Downy Woodpecker) - [information to be added]

Picoides villosus (Hairy Woodpecker)
Note the presence of a red patch on the back of the head of the male (lower left); absent from the female (lower right).
   
(click on an image to enlarge)


Colaptes (Flicker)
[information to be added]

Colaptes auratus (Northern Flicker) - [information to be added]


Dryocopus (Woodpecker)
[information to be added]

Dryocopus pileatus (Pileated Woodpecker)

(click on image to enlarge)