Last updated: May 30, 2021
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Woodpeckers in Washington, DC?
Have you ever heard what sounds like someone hammering really fast while hiking through Rock Creek Park, far away from any buildings? There’s a good chance you heard a woodpecker. Several varieties live in Rock Creek Park, including pileated woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, and red-bellied woodpeckers. All three of these woodpeckers have a mix of black and white feathers with small amounts of red that vary greatly in size and pattern. Woodpeckers live in cavities in trees and feed primarily on insects in and below tree bark.

NPS Photo/K. Cain

NPS Photo/K. Cain
NPS Photo
Pileated woodpeckers are the largest of the woodpeckers in Rock Creek Park at 16-19.5 inches. The pileated woodpecker has a black back and stomach. The backs of its wings are also black, while there is white on the underside of the wings. They have a bright red crest, with red extending onto the forehead in males.

NPS Photo