The Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) is a small woodpecker that is about 17 centimeters long, has a wingspan of 30 centimeters, and weighs roughly 27 grams (Sibley, 2016). When looking at them from their back they have black “W” shaped rectrices, black wings with white dots, white rectangle back patch, black auriculars that meet on their neck, white nape, and a distinguishable red patch between the nape and black crown. From their underside they have a crissum, flanks, belly, and throat are a light gray. The under rectrices feathers (these would be displayed as the outer rectrices in flight) are white with thin black bands.
The Downy Woodpecker and the Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) are very similar in their looks unless they are seen next to each other. A few ways that you can tell them apart is through body and bill size. The Downy Woodpecker is smaller in overall size than the Hairy Woodpecker. The bill for the Hairy Woodpecker is the same size as its head or slightly larger were the Downy Woodpecker has a bill that is smaller than its head.
Here is a comparison of the two. With the Hairy Woodpecker on the left and the Downy Woodpecker on the right.
Photos taken by me (Brandie Horn) located at a bird feeder in her backyard taken 2019 FEB.
Distribution
The Downy woodpecker range covers most of the United State and Canada year-round (Sibley, 2016). There is no evidence that the Downy woodpecker migrates (Browning, 1995). Individuals that moved in an unexpected direction may be dispersing (Browning, 1995).
Habitat
During the early regrowth stage of a timber managed forest there is little potential for the Downy Woodpecker because they prefer the older growth stands that provide trees and snags large enough for them to use to nest in (Conner et al., 1975). They prefer sparsely-stocked stands, these stands would normally not be thinned because there is no competition for light (Conner et al., 1975). The Downy Woodpecker along with other woodpeckers would greatly benefit from leaving dead snags and trees within stands because they use them for foraging and nesting (Conner et al., 1975).
Food Habits
While Downy Woodpeckers can be found at your backyard suet feeder, they typically extract insects form woody substrates (Benz et al., 2006). They prefer to forage on insects more on the surface and just under the bark of trees (Conner et al., 1975).
Sounds
Woodpeckers have long distance non-vocal audio communication that we refer to as drumming (Dodenhoff et al., 2001).
Recording by Frank Lambert in San Joquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, Orange County, CA. found on xeno-canto
The Downy woodpecker has a call that is a hoarse squeak. Almost like a quick squeak of a dog toy.
Recording by Tayler Brooks in Samish Island, Skagit Co., WA. on 2009DEC26 found on xeno-canto
Behavior
Nest Site Location
A male will drum on a dead portion of a tree and his mate with drum in the same location this indicates where the nest will be and the pair begin to excavate the nest (Kilham, 1962). Downy woodpecker prefer to nest in dead trees, most of the trees that their nests have fungal conks on the trunks indicating advanced stages of decay (Conner et al., 1975). Compared to the Hairy Woodpecker the Downy Woodpecker prefers shorter trees with a smaller dbh (diameter at breast height) and nest lower in the trees (Conner et al., 1975).
Literature Cited
Sibley D. A. 2016 The Sibley: Field Guide to Birds of Western North America. Pp.250-251
Benz, B. W., Robbins, M. B., and Perterson, A. T., (2006). Evolutionary History of Woodpeckers and Allies (Aves: Picidae): Placing Key Taxa on the Phylogenetic Tree. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 40, 389-399. https://doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.02.021
Whelan, C. J. and Maina, G. G. (2005). Effects of Season, Understorey Vegetation Density, Habitat Edge and Tree Diameter on Patch-Use by Bark-Foraging Birds. Functional Ecology, 19(3), 529-536. https://doi:10.111/j.1365-2435.2005.00996.x
Conner, R. N., Hooper, R. G., Crawford, H. S., and Mosby, H. S. (1975). Woodpecker Nesting Habitat in Cut and Uncut Woodlands in Virginia. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 36(1), 144-150. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3800477
Browning, M. R., (1995). Do Downy Woodpeckers Migrate? J. Field Ornithology, 66(1), 12-21.
Dodenhoff, D. J., Stark, R. D., and Johnson E. V., (2001). Do Woodpecker Drums Encode Information for Species Recognition? The Condor, 103(1) 143-150. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1369687
Drumming for the Downy Woodpecker By Frank Lambert in San Joquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, Orange County, California. https://www.xeno-canto.org/408129
Population Trends and Conservation Issues
The Downy Woodpecker prefers the forest interior compared to the forest edge and there are few studies on how edge effects species at the behavioral and populational levels (Whelan & Maina, 2005).
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