Nebraska, with its vast outdoors spanning trails, woods, open spaces, state parks, lakes, and rivers, is home to as many as twelve woodpecker species. Of them, eight species are common and recognized in state checklists, while the remaining are labeled rare or accidental, namely the acorn woodpecker, Williamson’s sapsucker, red-naped sapsucker, and American three-toed woodpecker.
Different Types of Woodpeckers Found in Nebraska
Name
Identifying Features
Where They Are Found in Nebraska
Downy Woodpecker
Small size, black wings, white undersides
Woodlands, parks, and residential areas
Hairy Woodpecker
Larger size, longer bill, white undersides
Similar to Downy, prefers mature forests
Northern Flicker
Brown with black bars, white rump
Open woodlands, grasslands, and farmlands
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red on the head, black and white stripes
Wooded areas near rivers and swamps, mostly in eastern Nebraska
The northern flicker, downy, hairy, and red-bellied woodpeckers are permanent, year-round state residents. The yellow-bellied sapsucker is an exception, as it is a migratory species. The best time to see it is during the spring and fall migration. On the other hand, the Lewis’s and red-headed woodpeckers are more common in the state during their breeding season (April through July). The northwestern part of Nebraska hosts the red-naped sapsucker only during the said breeding season.
