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A sparrow-sized woodpecker, the Downy Woodpecker is very similar to the Hairy Woodpecker, but is smaller, with a short, stubby bill. They are black and white. Males have a small red patch on the nape of the neck.
While sharing the same habitat of Algonquin Highlands’ hardwood forests, the much smaller size of the Downy Woodpecker allows it to search slender twigs and branch tips. By doing so they are not competing for food. The male is larger than the female, and can chisel deep into the bark, while the female pries under the bark. This allows a pair of Downy Woodpeckers to share their resources. While foraging, they are often found amongst flocks of chickadees, creepers, and nuthatches. This allows them to concentrate fully, relying on the warning of the other birds when danger approaches.
The Downy Woodpecker stays in our region all year round. Like other woodpeckers, they create their nest by digging holes into trees, and will lay an average of 4 or 5 white eggs. They produce a quiet pik, as well as a descending rattle.
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DOWNY WOODPECKER
Picoides pubescens
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