: a common North American woodpecker (Picoides villosus) closely resembling the downy woodpecker but larger with a longer bill
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebThe hairy woodpecker and the downy woodpecker are quite similar and can be difficult for novice birders to distinguish. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Oct. 2021 One challenge was to discern the hairy woodpecker from its doppelganger, the downy woodpecker. Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, 17 July 2019 Red-bellied, downy and hairy woodpeckers love peanuts, a high-protein, high-energy food, as do other songbirds. Evan Macdonald, cleveland.com, 25 Dec. 2017 The forest also is home to bear, coyote, deer and birds from hairy woodpeckers to red-breasted sapsuckers. Lynda V. Mapes, The Seattle Times, 25 Dec. 2017