How to identify a Downy Woodpecker
Size is the first clue. Downy Woodpeckers are the smallest familiar woodpeckers across much of North America and are only a little larger than many chickadees and nuthatches.
The plumage has a clean black-and-white look. The back has a broad white stripe down the centre. The wings are black with white spots, and the head is striped black and white.
Adult males have a small red patch on the back of the head. Adult females do not. Young birds can show red on the crown, so the exact location of red matters.
Now check the bill. On a Downy, it looks noticeably shorter than the length of the head. That one proportion solves a lot of identifications.
Downy Woodpecker vs Hairy Woodpecker
This is the classic problem.
Hairy Woodpeckers look remarkably similar but are larger and more powerful. Their bills approach the length of the head. A Downy bill looks short and almost delicate by comparison.
The outer tail can help too. Downy Woodpeckers often show black spots on white outer tail feathers. Hairy Woodpeckers usually show cleaner white there.
Do not make the call from one clue if the view is poor. Size, bill, tail, sound, and the size of the branch or trunk should agree. Our Downy Woodpecker vs Hairy Woodpecker page goes through the comparison in detail.
What does a Downy Woodpecker sound like?
One common call is a sharp, high pik.
The other sound to learn is the whinny, a quick series of notes that drops in pitch toward the end. Cornell describes it as lasting around two seconds.
Downy Woodpeckers also drum. Drumming is not feeding. It is a communication signal used for territory and courtship, much like a song in many songbirds.
What do Downy Woodpeckers eat?
Insects make up most of the diet.
Downy Woodpeckers search bark, branches, weeds, and stems for beetle larvae, ants, caterpillars, and other small prey. Cornell notes that plant material makes up about a quarter of the diet, including berries, acorns, and grains.
At feeders, suet is a favourite. They may also take black oil sunflower seed and peanuts.
Their small size lets them forage in places that larger woodpeckers cannot use easily. You may see one hanging from a thin branch or working the stalk of a tall weed.
Where Downy Woodpeckers live
Downy Woodpeckers are widespread across much of Canada and the United States.
They use open deciduous woods, forest edges, streamside trees, orchards, parks, and suburban yards. They are comfortable around people when there are enough trees, shrubs, dead wood, and food.
They are generally year-round residents, so the same yard can host Downies in every season.
Where do Downy Woodpeckers nest?
They excavate a cavity rather than building an open nest.
Dead trees and dead sections of living trees are common nest sites. Softer, partly decayed wood is easier to dig.
Both adults help excavate the cavity. Cornell says the work usually takes one to three weeks. The cavity is left mostly bare except for wood chips at the bottom.
A typical clutch has three to eight white eggs. Incubation is about 12 days, and young remain in the cavity for roughly 18 to 21 days.
Why do Downy Woodpeckers use such small branches?
Because they can.
Their light body lets them reach slender limbs, weed stems, galls, and other feeding spots that a larger woodpecker may have trouble using.
This behaviour is worth watching when a Hairy Woodpecker is possible. A tiny black-and-white woodpecker moving through thin outer branches fits Downy very well.
Do Downy Woodpeckers visit feeders?
Yes. Cornell calls them the woodpecker most likely to appear at backyard feeders where the species occurs.
Suet is the standard choice. Sunflower seed and peanuts can work too.
Keep feeders clean and place them where birds have a clear escape route. Our Best Birdseed for Backyard Birds page covers the broader feeder menu.
Downy Woodpecker look-alikes
Hairy Woodpecker is the main one. Start there.
Nuttall's and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers can create confusion in parts of the West and Southwest, while Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are a regional possibility in southeastern pine habitat.
For most backyard sightings, though, a small black-and-white woodpecker with a short bill points strongly toward Downy.
How long do Downy Woodpeckers live?
As with other small birds, many die young. An old individual is unusual.
Cornell reports an oldest known Downy Woodpecker of at least 11 years and 11 months.
Frequently asked questions
Do female Downy Woodpeckers have red heads?
Adult females normally lack the small red patch seen on adult males. Juveniles can show red on the crown, which is why age matters.
Why is a Downy Woodpecker pecking my tree?
It may be searching for insects, excavating a cavity, or communicating. Rapid drumming is a signal, while slower pecking and probing are more closely tied to feeding or excavation.
Do Downy Woodpeckers migrate?
They are mostly year-round residents. Local movements happen, but they are not long-distance migrants across most of the range.
Will Downy Woodpeckers use a nest box?
They naturally excavate cavities, but appropriately sized nest boxes can sometimes be used. Existing natural cavities and standing dead wood are important habitat too.
More familiar birds
Continue with Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch, or browse all Common Birds. For the broader family, see How to Identify Common Backyard Woodpeckers.