Day 23: Downy Woodpecker

Today, I'll be highlighting a smaller relative of the Hairy Woodpecker--the Downy Woodpecker. The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest species of woodpecker in North America and can be found year-round throughout much of the continent. We see them all the time in our backyard and hiking throughout Maryland. In the winter, they will roost in tree cavities.

As I mentioned yesterday, the plumage of the Downy Woodpecker looks very similar to the larger Hairy Woodpecker. The Downy, however, has a shorter bill relative to the size of its head and black spots on its white tail feathers (which the Hairy lacks).

Adult male Downy Woodpeckers have a red patch on the back of the head, while females have no red (the bird at our feeder was a male).

Fun fact: Diet and foraging techniques tend to vary depending on the sex of the Downy. Males tend to forage more on smaller branches, while females feed more on larger branches and trunks of trees.