Red-bellied woodpeckers drum an average of 12.92 beats per drum. In the example illustrated below one drum was 12, one was 13 beats. Their drums are sometimes less than a second in length so their average is about 18 beats per second.
Downy woodpeckers similarly drum an average of 12.7 beats per drum. In the example below there were 16 beats. Their drums are often 1.5 seconds in length. They average about 16-17 beats per second.
It is difficult to tell red-bellied and downy Woodpecker drumming apart. They drum at similar rates. The downy is a bit slower though and it’s drum is usually a bit longer duration.
Hairy woodpeckers average 24.29 beats per drum. In the example below there were 24 beats. Their drums are about 1 second in length. Hairy woodpeckers drum at a much faster rate than red-bellied and downy’s and have longer pauses between drums.
The Sapsucker drum is very distinctive. The drums are slow (4-6 beats/second), irregular and often last for several seconds.
Pileated woodpeckers and northern flickers have similar drums. The flicker’s averages about 25 beats per second and lasts about 1 second. The pileated woodpecker’s drum is more variable in speed (11-30 beats per drum) and duration (up to 3 seconds). The flicker’s drum has a very steady tempo whereas the pileated accelerates slightly at the end.
Red-bellied
.75 sec to > 1 sec duration
18 beats per second (Pieplow 2017)
Average 12.92 beats per/drum
Only males drum
Drum year-round, more during breeding season
Downy
1.5 second duration
17.1 beats/second
12.7 beats per drum
9-15 bursts/minute
Both sexes drum
Duet drumming
Drum year-round, more in winter and spring
Hairy
1 second duration
24.29 beats /drum
Both sexes drum
Drum year-round
……..
Both downy and hairy are drumming in the recording below.
Sapsucker
4-6 beats per/second, irregular
Couplets
Mostly by males
Pileated
11-30 beats/drum (Short 1982)
.7 – 3 sec duration (Kilham 1959a)
40-60 sec intervals
Slight acceleration at end
Both sexes drum, males more
Drum year-round, more in early spring
Northern Flicker
1.07 sec duration
25.01 beats per drum roll
Steady tempo
Both sexes drum
Usually in conjunction with long call