It’s so cool to see our Downy Woodpeckers! They’re not very big birds, smaller than a Robin for instance, but that dapper black and white plumage with the males’ red cap is SO striking.
I really enjoy seeing them come to our feeder through the winter, and recently our male resident has been joined by a lady Downy. I’m hoping to see babies later this year, and possibly get my own photos of these beauties.
So, on to facts and trivia…
Downies are the smallest woodpeckers in North America, and also the most likely to be seen at our feeders! In the 1950’s and 1960’s, Downy woodpeckers ate a LOT of elm bark beetles, possibly slowing the spread of Dutch elm disease that the insects were carrying.
Downies have the typical woodpecker style of tongue: Long, sticky, and…
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