Picoides pubescens
This woodland bird's soft taps filter through aspen forests, betraying its presence. The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest and most familiar woodpecker in North America; it is often the first woodpecker that novice birdwatchers discover. Like many other small birds, Downies are generally more approachable and more tolerant of humans than larger species. Woodpeckers have feathered nostrils to filter out the sawdust they produce by hammering. To cushion the shock of banging the head, woodpeckers have evolved a thick skull, large bill, neck and skull muscles and a narrow space between the brain and the inner skull. |
I.D.: General: clear white belly and back; black wings are barred with white; black eye line and crown; short, stubby bill; mostly black tail; white outer tail feathers are spotted with black. Male: small red patch on the back of the head. Female: no red patch. Size: L 6-7 in. (15-18 cm). Range: uncommon to locally common resident throughout the Rockies. Habitat: all wooded environments, including aspen forests and tall deciduous shrubs, up to the subalpine. Nesting: excavates a cavity in a dying or decaying trunk or limb; pair shares in the excavation, which lasts more than 2 weeks; lines cavity with wood chips; incubates 4-5 eggs for 11-13 days. Feeding: forages on trunks and branches; chips and probes for insect eggs, cocoons, larvae and adults; also eats nuts and seeds; attracted to feeders. Voice: long, unbroken trill: trrrrrrrrrr; call is either a sharp pik or ki-ki-ki. Similar Species: Hairy Woodpecker: larger; bill is as long as the head is wide; no spots on the white outer tail feathers. |
