“A man on a fast horse will never notice!” – that is a saying we use around our house when something isn’t perfect, but it’s close enough!
I think it’s also a saying that could easily apply when it comes to noticing the differences between birds #12 and #13 on the Thirty-Bird Challenge list – the Hairy Woodpecker and the Downy Woodpecker.
Here is a picture of a female Hairy Woodpecker (on the left) and a female Downy Woodpecker.
And now here is a picture of a male Hairy Woodpecker (on the left), and a male Downy Woodpecker.
They look a lot alike! But if you see them up close you can tell that the Hairy Woodpecker is slightly bigger in both body and beak than the Downy, and has solid white outer tail feathers instead of white with black specks.
Honestly though, when it comes to discerning the differences between the two birds, wouldn’t you agree that a man on a fast horse would never notice!
Backyard Bird Nerd 
This is the first year we’ve had a hairy woodpecker pair visit our feeder, and they only come to the feeder I put up on your recommendation! The hairy woodpecker always announces that he or she has arrived with a series of chirps after they land on the feeder but before they begin to eat. The downy woodpeckers just get to work eating right away
I’m so glad you have them!!
I certainly wouldn’t have noticed the difference, and I’m not even on a fast horse!