11/27/2023 0 Comments Downy woodpecker scientific name![]() Downy parents may continue to feed their young fledglings for a few weeks after they leave the nest. Males and females share in all the duties of nesting including creating the nest hole, incubating the eggs and feeding the young. They will hatch about two weeks after incubation, and the young will leave the nest in three weeks.ġ8. Downy woodpecker eggs are white, and between 3-8 eggs are laid at a time. Nest cavities are between 6-12 inches deep and wider at the bottom, since this is where the eggs will be laid, on top of a layer of wood chips.ġ7. Male Downy excavating nest hole | image by Shiva Shenoy via Flickr | CC BY 2.0ġ6. Male and female Downy’s both work on the nest hole, and it takes between 1-3 weeks to carve out. They excavate a cavity in the wood, favoring deciduous trees that are infected with a fungus that makes the wood soft.ġ5. Downy’s nest in dead trees, or dead parts of live trees. For instance, they have been observed balancing on the stems of wildflowers and weeds, eating the insects that live on or inside these plants. Their small size allow’s them to find food where larger woodpeckers cannot. About 25% of their diet is plant material like grain, acorns and berries.ġ3. This includes ants and caterpillars but also a large amount of beetle larvae that live inside of wood or tree bark. In the wild, insects make up about 75% of their diet. Downy drinking from my hummingbird feederġ2. You may spot one taking a drink from your hummingbird or oriole feeder! Many woodpeckers enjoy tree sap and will drill sap-wells into trees, so this isn’t too surprising. ![]() These small woodpeckers are known for enjoying the occasional sip of nectar. Downy’s will eat a variety of foods at your feeders including suet, black oil sunflower, millet and peanuts.ġ1. Downy’s however, seem to really enjoy backyard feeders and will show up readily.ġ0. Out of the 17 North American woodpecker species, some won’t visit feeders at all, while others will only rarely. Downy’s are the most likely species in the woodpecker family to visit backyard bird feeders. They can be found in forested areas (with a preference for deciduous trees), orchards, parks and suburbs. The Downy is considered a “resident” bird in that it does not migrate with the seasons. southwest and the tundra of far northern Canada.Ĩ. The only places where Downy’s are noticeably absent are the deserts of the U.S. Downy woodpeckers can be found throughout the United States, including parts of Alaska, as well as Canada.ħ. Downies along the Pacific coast have a dingier brownish-gray coloring compared to the starker white of the eastern birds. Those living in the west tend to be darker overall. There are some slight regional differences in their plumage. The Downy is smaller, has a shorter beak relative to their head size, and have black spots along their outer tail feathers.ĥ. The Downy is often confused with Hairy woodpeckers due to their nearly identical plumage. ![]() Males and females have the same coloring, but males have a bright red patch on the back of their head while females do not.Ĥ. The middle of their back is white, and their black wings have white spots.ģ. They have a black head with large white stripe above and below the eye. Their upper parts are black and under parts are white. These woodpeckers have bold black and white coloring. Their bill is fairly small for a woodpecker.Ģ. Their body length ranges from 5.5 to 7.1 inches. Downy woodpeckers are the smallest woodpecker species found in North America. How much do you know about this populous species? Learn more with our 24 fun and interesting Downy facts, enjoy! Descriptionġ. You may also recognize them from backyard feeders, where they are often frequent visitors. With their bold black and white coloring and tiny stature, they are a memorable sight in many forests and suburban areas. Interesting facts about Downy woodpeckersĭowny woodpeckers are often considered the most common woodpecker in eastern North America. Check out these 24 interesting facts about the Downy to learn all about these common woodpeckers. Whether you are new to bird watching or an old pro, there’s always something new to learn about Downy woodpeckers. ![]()
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