
This is the smallest and one of the most widespread woodpeckers in North America. Upperparts are mostly black, with a trough of white down the middle of the back, white spots on the wings, and white outer tail feathers with black bars. The head shows bold white stripes above and below the eye, expanding over the side of the neck. Underparts are mostly unmarked white, dingy on Pacific Coast birds. The bill is very short (less than half the total length of the head) with a conspicuous tuft of white feathers at the base. Males have a small red patch at the back of the crown. Juveniles have a reddish patch at the front of the crown.
Length: 17 (cm) Wingspan: 28 (cm)
Voice:
Call note a short squeaky PEEK. Rattle call an accelerating series of PEEK, PEEK, kikikikikikikikiki.
Habitat:
Open deciduous forest, riparian woodland, orchards.
Behavior:
Like most woodpeckers, territorial drumming is usually done on a highly-resonant hollow dead tree limb.
Feeding:
Forages for insects on trees and large weed stems. Also eats fruit, nuts, seeds, and sap. Often comes to suet feeders.
Field Notes
Expanded Life History
Feed Ecology And Diet | Contribute Content |
Nesting Habits |
Downy Woodpeckers nest in tree cavities they make themselves or come across. I have not witnessed them bringing any additional nesting materials into the nesting cavity which leads me to believe that they just used wood chips that they have generated as they build the cavity. How do you know that a Downy isn't just foraging for food? Well, I can't imagine why a little Downy would exert so much energy into one spot. They normally just scavenge the bark of trees and only go into the wood a little ways to find beetles and other insects. Also, this cavity goes in and then down which isn't your normal woodpeckers foraging behavior. When I first spotted the Woodpecker (who was right outside my window) all I could see were his tail feathers and abdomen sticking out. His tail feathers were going slightly up and down which led me to believe that he was doing what a woodpecker does, peck wood. That's when he came out with a gob of fine wood chips in his mouth, he looked around and then shook his head, releasing the chips. The entrance hole was just barely big enough for him to fit (they both have to wiggle to get themselves out.) He continued doing this for several days, his mate would come by every now and then to relive him from duty. Taking turns, they got the job done in about six or seven days. I had put a specialized seed mix in my tube feeder that contained "Energy Chips." These peanut shaped "chips" contained calcium to promote egg development. It was really a treat when I saw the female Downy come to my feeder take a chip and eat half of it. I witnessed the two of them mating several times and after that I came to the conclusion that the eggs were layed. They would switch places once in a while and they became quite secretive. Now the eggs have evidently hatched because the parents are going in and out with gobs of suet and other things on their way in and nothing on their way out. I can't wait to see the young flying around! by Jacob Crawford on May 24, 2013 at 12:34 pm |
Migration Status | Contribute Content |
Conservation Status | Contribute Content |
Local Sites to Spot | Contribute Content |
Abundance Status | Contribute Content |
Adult Male Description | Contribute Content |
Adult Female Description | Contribute Content |
ITIS Taxonomic Number | Contribute Content |
Sonogram | Contribute Content |
Courtship | Contribute Content |
Reproductive Characteristics | Contribute Content |
Relationship to Humans | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Size & Shape |
The Downy woodpecker has the same coloration as the Hairy Woodpecker, really the only way you can tell apart is by size and beak length. The Downy is about half as big as a Hairy and has a stubby beak where as the Hairy has a long, bulky beak. by Jacob Crawford on May 24, 2013 at 12:38 pm |
ID Tips - Color & Pattern | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Habitat | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Behavior | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Wingspan | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Weight | Contribute Content |
Breeding | Contribute Content |
Cool Facts | Contribute Content |
Local Knowledge | Contribute Content |
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Sightings
Date | Submitted By | Count |
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09/25/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
09/18/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
09/11/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
09/11/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
09/04/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
09/04/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/28/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/28/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/28/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/21/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/21/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/14/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/14/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
07/24/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
07/24/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
Recent Activity
Activity | Date & Time |
---|---|
Danyel Casselman added Downy Woodpecker to their Elkhart, IN smart list | 1/07/2013 at 11:20AM |
Grant Canterbury added Downy Woodpecker to their Clackamette Lake trail smart list | 11/20/2011 at 10:36AM |
Jacob Parks added Downy Woodpecker to their NE Cleveland smart list | 11/02/2011 at 1:40AM |
Bob Archer added Downy Woodpecker to their Rentenaar Road smart list | 10/29/2011 at 9:34PM |