Your description of the vocalisation was most helpful-either a Downy or Hairy Woodpecker. Size, bill length and outer tail feathers will be the diagnostic things to look at.

-O-

I would agree with Orrin. I would also hazard a guess that it is a hairy woodpecker, based on what you said about size. My Audubon guide says it is about the size of a robin, whereas the Downey is sparrow size.

Also, the bill on the bird should be larger than a Downey's- whose bill is pretty much like a thorn in comparison.

One more thing - the Downey is less likely to appear in your "neck of the woods" - the American Southwest - than the Hairy woodpecker is. Of course, we know that we can always be surprised, but usually I guess that's true.

Just some thoughts -

An Acorn Woodpecker would be easy to distinguish from a Downy or Hairy. Several pictures on this page. Here's a photo I snapped of a female Acorn Woodpecker after the sunflower kernels on my deck.

{{!gwi}}

Oops. I didn't check your location before posting (and I know better-blame the beer). Ladder-backed Woodpecker is also a possibility (I think-we have them and we're right 'next door'). Acorn can be ruled out by vocalisation-they're more chattery, whereas the other three I mentioned all have a variation on a 'pik' note.

-O-

I live in zone 7 (Albuquerque, NM) & Orrin, that photo does resemble the fleeting glance I got of the bird in the pecan tree! It definately was not as big as a robin, had a short tail but I do remember the red cap as not flat or smooth but 'touseled' (?sp.)& it had black 'spots' on the white chest. That beautiful photo of the bird really looks familiar; thanks so much!

WOW-nice photo! I lived in Durango, CO, from 1979 to 1983 and drove to Albuquerque frequently yet I never saw anything but Lewis Woodpeckers..looks like Acorn W.s are moving into the area now

I'm in the southern part of the state and we're getting a lot of Acorn Woodpecker sightings. Also Mountain and Western Bluebirds and even a Violet-crowned Hummingbird! I have a juvenile Blue Jay hanging around with a small flock of Scrub Jays.
Interesting Fall so far.
The Juncos have started to arrive so winter is near.

i live just outside of Durango Colorado and i have gambel oak brush outside the door. The acorn woodpeckers like the small acorns and pinyon nuts but also carry off corn and sunflower seeds. The Lewis Woodpeckers don't come often but i got a photo of a male this week. The flickers come through in the fall and spring back and forth to the mountains, and the downeys come in the snow storms of winter. I had a pair of scrub jays nest in the oak brush this year and they had 2 young ones whoi are regular visiters. Since we got a few snow showers i have dozens of Juncos and finches and sparrows daily.