Get to know our 3 uncommon woodpeckers

As a collective notion, woodpeckers are one of the more familiar bird families. The general idea is clear enough: medium-sized, black-and-white birds with red highlights that use their beaks to pound upon trees. Some moderately attentive backyard birdwatchers may well be acquainted with the common local birds that largely fit this description, like the acorn, downy or Nuttall’s woodpecker. Today, however, I’d like to shine a light on three of our less commonly encountered woodpeckers, each one with its own surprises...