How to Identify aDowny Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens · 5.5–6.7 in (14–17 cm)
Male vs. female
Male
Black-and-white checkered back and wings, white belly, and a small red patch on the back of the head.
Female
Same pattern but lacks the red nape patch.
Male photo: Cephas / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Second photo: Paul Danese / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Field marks
- Very short bill, shorter than the head is deep
- White stripe down the center of the back
- Black-and-white checkered wings
- Male shows a small red nape spot
Similar species
What it sounds like
A soft sharp "pik" and a clear descending whinny that runs down the scale.
Behaviour that gives it away
Drums on gutters, signposts and metal flashing — the point is volume, not excavation, so the loudest surface wins.
Habitat & range
Woodlands, orchards, parks, and backyards across most of North America.
When you'll see it
Present all year in North America.
What it eats
Insects and larvae from bark, plus seeds and suet at feeders.
Did you know?
Downies often join mixed winter flocks of chickadees and nuthatches, gaining extra eyes for spotting hawks.
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