Dyke Marsh and Beyond

Woodpeckers Easy to See in Winter

There are six species in the area.

With trees bare of leaves now, winter is an opportune time to spot woodpeckers.  The treed areas of Mount Vernon are frequented by several secies. Six woodpecker species can be seen in the Washington, DC area: Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, Red-headed and Pileated, plus Northern Flicker. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a winter visitor. Nature’s Drummers Woodpeckers have strong, chisel-like bills, specialized tail feathers and feet and barbed tongues, adaptations that allow them to fully exploit woodland habitats.  With their short legs and sharp claws, they can climb trees and peck for larvae, grubs or ants in the trees’ wood. Woodpeckers often make their presence known by pecking or drumming on dead tree limbs and in some cases, unleashing a…

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