The drumming of Downy Woodpeckers is a sign
that winter is coming to an end. They can be attracted to
your backyard with suet and seed feeders, water, and a little
landscaping.
Identification and Pictures
(Picoides pubescens)
They are the
smallest and most common backyard woodpeckers in North
America, about 6 ˝ inches. The top of the head is black and
they have a fairly small bill. The sides of the head are
white with a black mask that extends from the eye to the back
of the head.
They have a white back and belly. The wings and
inner tail feathers are black with white patches. The outer
tail feathers are white with black patches. The Male has a
red nape patch.
Downies can easily be mistaken for the larger Hairy
Woodpecker, which is closer to 9 ˝ inches. The two birds can
be distinguished by bill size compared to their heads. The
Downy’s bill is about half the width of the head, and the
Hairy’s bill is about the same as the width of the head.
There are others such as Ladder-backed or Nuttall’s
woodpecker that look similar. Two other woodpeckers that look
similar but are easier to distinguish from the Downy are the
Three-Toed and Black-backed woodpeckers.
Song and Call
The Downy uses drumming as a call. Both sexes
drum on wood. They also give a high-pitched descending whinny
of notes as well as a sharp pick. During courtship they make
a queek-queek sound.
Note on some browsers you will not be able to see or use the
drop down sound list. If you can't use it try the sound
links below.
They can be found through out most of the
U.S. and Canada. Preferred habitat is open forests, orchard,
river groves and backyards with trees and shrubbery.
Downy Woodpeckers breed in woodlands,
orchards, and parks with scattered trees.
Members of a pair will have separate overlapping territories
until late winter. At this time they will begin to coordinate
activities, drumming on trees. Courtship and defending of a
territory begin in spring with behavior such as chasing in
flight and up trees, bill waving and loud calls.
Both birds work together to excavate a cavity 10 to15 inches
deep with an entrance hole of about 2 ˝ inches. The nest
hole will usually be in a tree trunk or limb, often on the
underside of a limb.
Both birds will incubate 3 to 6 small white glossy eggs for
around two weeks. They only have one brood but will replace
lost clutches of eggs. Both adults will feed the young, which
will climb to the entrance in around 17 days and leave the
nest in 30 days. The young will rely on the adults for
another two weeks.
Food and Feeding
About 75 percent of their diet is animal
matter mostly of harmful insects such as beetles,
caterpillars, ants, and weevils. In addition to this they eat
fruits, seeds and nuts. They can be attracted to both suet
and seed feeders. Beef suet is preferred, but they will also
come for cracked corn, sunflower seeds doughnuts and fruit.
Like most birds that visit backyards food, cover and water
will attract them. Downies do not drink at birdbaths as often
as other birds so food and cover are a priority.
They are the
smallest and most common backyard woodpeckers in North
America, about 6 ˝ inches. The top of the head is black and
they have a fairly small bill. The sides of the head are
white with a black mask that extends from the eye to the back
of the head.
Woodpecker posters
