Woodpecker drumming is probably not as instantly distinctive as birdsong—however by rigorously listening to hurry, length, and rhythm you’ll be able to nonetheless inform many species aside. Listed below are some ideas.
April 3, 2025
One of many first indications of springtime in North America is the rat-a-tat sound of woodpeckers drumming. Even on gentle, sunny days in late winter you might hear them making an attempt out their drumming. In contrast with the melody and tone of birdsong, drumming isn’t fairly as recognizable—however when you pay attention intently you’ll be able to nonetheless inform some woodpeckers other than others.
Woodpeckers can drum all 12 months spherical, however there’s a noticeable uptick in the course of the spring months—roughly March by way of June relying in your latitude. In woodpeckers, drumming serves the identical operate as music does for songbirds: it advertises a fowl’s (or a pair’s) territory and helps entice mates. In most woodpecker species, each women and men drum.
How and Why Do Woodpeckers Drum?
Anytime you hear a quick, prolonged sequence of loud pecks—that’s drumming, and it’s all about communication. They’re not in search of meals. In actual fact, throughout feeding woodpeckers peck slowly and make solely faint noises as they select when and the place to take their subsequent strike. (Listening out for these quiet, methodical pecking sounds may be useful in monitoring down a woodpecker because it’s busy feeding.)
This additionally explains why you typically see woodpeckers drumming on steel surfaces like streetlights, gutters, and rubbish can lids. They’re not confused about the place their dinner is, they’re trying to make the loudest potential sound. Should you watch a woodpecker drumming on a useless tree, you’ll typically see it make minute changes in the place it’s pecking. Typically a slight adjustment leads to a a lot louder, farther-carrying sound.
3 Major Drumming Patterns
Rat-a-tat-tat: Regular, Evenly Spaced Drumming
The traditional woodpecker drum is a gradual supply of quick strikes on a tough floor. Many woodpeckers drum this fashion, so it could appear troublesome to establish them to species. However take coronary heart—species that happen in the identical areas of North America typically sound completely different. It’s particularly vital to concentrate to velocity and length of the drumming.
Downy vs. Furry Woodpeckers
Two of North America’s most widespread woodpeckers, Downy and Furry, are generally discovered collectively. Pay attention for the sooner tempo of the Furry to inform them aside. It may be actually useful to have a look at spectrograms whereas listening to audio recordings, that will help you pick particulars of the sounds. Right here’s extra on find out how to learn spectrograms.
The very comparable Furry Woodpecker drums sooner (about 26 beats per second), and a bit longer (averaging 1 second) than Downy. It’s unimaginable to rely the pecks as they occur. You may see the distinction in these spectrograms—the strains indicating every strike are packed tighter collectively than within the Downy.
Nuttall’s vs. Ladder-backed Woodpeckers
Within the southwestern U.S., Nuttall’s and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers can typically happen close to one another. Just like the Downy and Furry, the distinction of their drumming velocity is noticeable.
Nuttall’s Woodpeckers have an intermediate supply (about 20 beats per second), barely sooner than a Downy Woodpecker. Drums common about 1 second lengthy, so there’s sufficient overlap with Downy Woodpecker that it’s onerous to inform these two species aside. However with observe the sooner cadence of Furry and Ladder-backed ought to be noticeable.
Ladder-backed Woodpeckers drum actually quick—at about 30 beats per second, they’re even sooner than a Furry. It nearly runs collectively right into a single steady sound. The velocity of the supply is noticeable within the spectrogram, with the strains indicating every peck packed very shut collectively.
Northern Flicker
With Northern Sparkles, every bout of drumming normally lasts for longer than a second—longer than many different species. In a spectrogram you’ll be able to see how the cluster of strains indicating pecks is longer.
Northern Sparkles drum at about 23 beats per second—sooner than Downy, however solely barely slower than Furry. Sparkles typically pause between drums and provides their lengthy, piping name, which additionally helps with recognition.
Stutterstep Rhythms: Sapsuckers
The complicated rhythm of sapsucker drumming is immediately recognizable: an introductory roll adopted by erratically spaced beats consisting of very quick a number of faucets. Sapsuckers are migratory, and after they return to breeding grounds their off-kilter drumming sound is for a lot of birders a welcome sound of early springtime.
The intently associated Yellow-bellied, Crimson-naped, and Crimson-breasted Sapsuckers (as soon as thought of a single species) have very comparable drumming patterns. (Thankfully, their breeding ranges have little or no overlap.) After the preliminary drumroll, they offer double faucets at irregular intervals that slowly house out. The double faucets are so quick that on the spectrogram they nearly appear like a single strike.
Williamson’s Sapsuckers happen in mountains of western North America the place they might overlap with Crimson-naped and Crimson-breasted Sapsuckers. Their drum is barely completely different: after the preliminary drumroll, the following beats include a number of (not doubled) hits. These beats get extra extensively spaced and softer because the drum goes on.
Fadeaways: Drumming that Trails Off on the Finish
The widespread Pileated Woodpecker has a particular drum befitting the fowl’s measurement and energy. These crow-sized woodpeckers typically drum on massive bushes and produce a deep, highly effective sound.
Pileated Woodpeckers drum slowly (about 15 beats per second), with barely sooner sections initially and finish that create a way of the sound build up after which fading away.
Two unusual species, Black-backed and American Three-toed Woodpeckers, are sometimes wanted by birders. Their distinctive drumming will help you find them when you’ve discovered the proper habitat.
American Three-toed Woodpeckers have a reasonably lengthy, sluggish drum—lasting 1.3 seconds or extra with and with about 14 beats per second. The drumming hurries up noticeably on the finish, creating a way of the sound fading away. Should you look intently at a spectrogram, you’ll be able to see the house between the strikes shorten towards the tip of the drum.
The marginally bigger Black-backed Woodpecker drums sooner and for longer than American Three-toed Woodpecker. Drums final for about 1.9 seconds—among the many longest of the woodpeckers talked about on this article—they usually strike the tree at about 16 beats per second. The drum hurries up barely on the finish and the quantity typically trails off, giving a fadeaway impact.
Sources: Information on drumming velocity and sample come from the Birds of the World accounts for every species.
