A common visitor to the backyard bird feeders in winter is the little downy woodpecker, the smallest of our woodpeckers, measuring about 6-1/2 inches. Its color is basically black and white; with it’s under parts all white. The male has a small bright red patch on the back of its head. The female and some first year males lack this patch. The wings of both are spotted. A similar species, the hairy woodpecker is an over-size copy color wise, but it has a larger, longer bill in proportion.

     The downy is commonly found in open woodlands, city parks, woodlots, trees lining a hedgerow, or sparsely timbered swamps. It flies with a swooping, roller coaster like motion, typical of woodpeckers, uttering a rattling, and chattering call. In flight its broad wings and short tail are noticeable. 

     In winter, downys forage for hibernating insects, and insect larvae or eggs. Often they are first detected by a winter hunter or hiker by their muffled tapping noises as they dig in the bark. The little downy is well-equipped for its method of acquiring food with a bill that is chisel shaped when viewed from the side and pointed looking from the top. Its skull is sturdy with special cushioning that all woodpeckers have to be able to withstand the hammering. It has a long tongue that is finely barbed, somewhat like Velcro, enabling it to capture insects from deep in rotting wood or shrubs and stalk-like vegetation, such as corn stalks, sunflowers, or even goldenrod.
Its feet are specially designed for climbing. Instead of three toes forward and one back, it has two toes forward and two toes back. Along with its strong, stiff tail, the downy can clamp itself easily to the side of a tree with the tail adding extra support.

     The downy nests in the cavities of dead tree branches or snags. Eggs are laid in a bed of wood chips and feathers. Both parents incubate the eggs and care for the young. In winter they’ll seek out or build small den cavities or take over unused birdhouses to roost in 

     Downy woodpeckers will frequently flock up in winter with chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, kinglets, and red-bellied woodpeckers. Squirrel or deer hunters are familiar with the downy. Like their other cousins, they seem to delight in shattering the stillness of the woods by rapping suddenly on a hollow tree and chattering loudly.

     To attract them to the backyard in winter, hang a suet feeder on a tree or shrub branch. You can buy the suet cages sold in many garden stores or hang suet in an old onion bag. Small hanging logs with hole reamed in them then stuffed with suit is also effective. They’ll also come to glean sunflower seeds and make a dreary winter day a little brighter. 

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