Woodpeckers are known for their distinctive drumming. Their varied sizes often lead to questions about the largest species. While impressive woodpeckers exist today, the largest known species are largely historical.
The Imperial Woodpecker
Historically, the Imperial Woodpecker (Campephilus imperialis) of Mexico is considered the largest woodpecker. This bird could reach lengths of 22 to 23.6 inches (56 to 60 cm). Its appearance featured a mostly black body with white patches on its wings and slender white “braces” on its back. Males had a bright red crest; females sported an all-black crest that curved forward. It had a large, ivory-colored bill, used for stripping bark and excavating wood for beetle larvae.
The Imperial Woodpecker inhabited mature, open pine-oak forests in Mexico’s Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range, at elevations between 6,900 and 8,900 feet (2,100 and 2,700 meters). They required vast territories and were likely never common. Significant habitat loss from logging and hunting led to a drastic population decline. The last confirmed sighting was in 1956. It is now officially listed as critically endangered, with many believing it extinct.
The Ivory-billed Woodpecker
Another historically large species is the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis), native to the southeastern United States and Cuba. This woodpecker measured 19 to 21 inches (48 to 53 cm) long with a wingspan of about 30 inches (76 cm). Its plumage was glossy black with white stripes extending from its face down its neck and back, creating a “saddle” appearance when its wings were folded. Like its imperial relative, it had a robust, ivory-colored bill. Males displayed a red crest, while females had a black crest.
It primarily lived in extensive old-growth forests, especially cypress swamps and bottomland hardwood forests, relying on dead and decaying trees for foraging and nesting. Habitat destruction from logging in the 19th and 20th centuries severely impacted its populations. The last widely accepted sighting in the U.S. occurred in 1944, and in Cuba in 1987. While officially listed as critically endangered, many consider it extinct, despite unconfirmed sightings and ongoing searches.
The Pileated Woodpecker
The Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) is the largest extant species in North America. This crow-sized bird measures 16 to 19 inches (40 to 49 cm) long with a wingspan of 26 to 30 inches (66 to 75 cm). It is recognized by its mostly black body, a large red crest, and a white stripe on its neck and face. Males have an additional red line from the bill to the throat, which is black in females.
Pileated Woodpeckers inhabit mature forests across much of Canada and the eastern and Pacific coastal U.S., including deciduous, coniferous, and mixed woodlands. They excavate large, rectangular holes in trees while foraging for carpenter ants and other insects. They also create nest cavities in dead trees, later utilized by other wildlife. Despite past population declines from forest clearing, their numbers have recovered, and they are now considered a species of “least concern”.
Other Impressive Woodpeckers
Beyond North America, other large woodpecker species exist. The Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus) is the largest woodpecker in the Old World, found across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. This species measures 17.7 to 20 inches (45 to 51 cm) long and can weigh between 360 to 563 grams.
It has dark slaty-grey plumage with a long neck and a yellowish-white bill. It prefers primary semi-open, moist deciduous, and tropical evergreen forests, relying on large trees for its habitat. Its population has faced rapid decline from habitat loss, leading to its classification as vulnerable.