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Submitted By
Heart ForNature
Danville, KY, USA
Description
This woodpecker was eating at my feeder. It is either one of the juvenile Downy Woodpeckers, or, possibly, a Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, which are VERY rarely, if not never, seen in Kentucky.
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I Need To Know What Bird This Is
Hello, This is a Downy Woodpecker. Note that Red-cckaded Woodpeckers have marking on their breasts and belly – similar to a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Additionally, the facial markings in Red-cockaded Woodpeckers is an all-black head with large white cheeks. Downies have white cheeks and eyebrows, with a strong black eyestripe inbetween, as in your photo. You can see photos of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers here.
Thank you. Yes, it is definitely a Downy Woodpecker. I just have never seen one with a circular cheek patch like this one. As you said, usually it is a white line along their cheek.