Hairy and American Three-toed Woodpecker Question

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John Jones

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Jan 26, 2013, 11:12:36 PM1/26/13
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I was up cross-country skiing in the vicinity of Breckenridge and Silverthorne recently and now I have a woodpecker question. While I was going along, I heard a woodpecker on a tree and decided to investigate. I pulled out my binoculars and saw what looked like a strange Hairy Woodpecker. This bird was about the size of a Hairy, but it was flaking bark off the tree and had gray barring on the flanks. Going through the guide when I got home, this may have been an American Three-toed Woodpecker as both the behavior and barring match. I didn't see any red (for Hairy) or yellow (for Three-toed) color on the head. 

My question for you is: Will a Hairy Woodpecker in Colorado every show gray barring on the flanks?

Assuming that Hairys don't show this barring, I think I likely saw a Three-toed.

Thanks
John Jones
Lakewood, CO
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