Yellow Downy Woodpecker

Photo Submission

Submitted By

Evelynn Brogan

Worcester, MA, USA

Description

These photos were taken at my suet feeder where I saw what seems to be a yellow Downy Woodpecker. I’m not sure if that’s actually what it is, but I couldn’t find any images online or in my books to compare to.

Species

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Yellow Downy Woodpecker

13 replies on “Yellow Downy Woodpecker”

Susan Johnston says:

May 4, 2022 at 11:58 am

Regards Evelynn,
I don’t know when you posted these pictures but I’m glad you did because I just had a Downy appear at my feeder looking just like this. Maybe even a little brighter yellow and these are the only photos I could find on the web. I was reading about carotenism but I don’t know if that is the explanation. Wondering if you ever learned cause? I haven’t been able to get a picture but I’ll keep trying.

Lisa N says:

May 31, 2022 at 7:06 pm

We also have what appears to be a yellow-tinged Downy woodpecker. We are in Ham Lake, MN and it appeared the spring of 2022 and is a regular at our suet feeders. I can’t get a great picture.

Brittany says:

May 29, 2023 at 9:02 am

I came here looking for the same thing. We are in East Bethel and have had a couple frequent visitors! Didn’t know they could be yellow

Angela Earnshaw says:

June 10, 2022 at 4:28 pm

We have seen 2 of these yellow anomalies of the downy woodpecker at our feeders recently. At first I thought maybe he is just covered in pollen, but he never changes from day to day. And today there was another downy male who was also mostly yellow where he should have been white. I am in eastern Ontario, CA.

Angela Earnshaw says:

June 10, 2022 at 4:31 pm

Edit: The ones we have seen are actually hairy woodpeckers, not downy, as they are larger in size.

Dawn Buchanan says:

June 22, 2022 at 11:23 am

We have seen a male yellow-tinged downy woodpecker in Silver Bay NY on Lake George on our feeders starting around mid-June 2022. Bird appears healthy and is a stronger mustard-color where the white should be. Will try to get a picture as well.

Linda Young says:

May 18, 2023 at 9:13 am

I have also just seen this bird at our house in Harpursville NY. I can’t find any pictures to compare it to either. I looked through my bird books, the Audubon society website and a couple of different bird apps. Can’t find this guy anywhere. Wondering if it’s a cross breed of some sort of something. Does look like a downy or hairy woodpecker except he’s yellow.