A lot of us know a pair of brothers who, although not identical twins, can easily be mistaken for each other. One has a slightly larger stature and a slightly larger nose. In the bird world one such difficult duo can be found among the woodpeckers. The downy is the smaller, cuter, and much more common one of the two. The hairy is the bigger brother who is, well, a tad bit bigger with a thicker pecker bill.
Seeing them alone can lead to moments of questioning: could this one be the hairy? Most of the time the answer is no. If you want a good chance of seeing the pair together for a real comparison then join us on our Jan. field trip to Philadelphia’s Pennypack Park where we recently found the two hanging out with each other.
This will be a relatively short trip to a local site with lunch at a near by restaurant. Dress warmly for the weather.
For details on the click on the Field Trips tab above.
