![]() The voices of the smaller Downy and larger Hairy Woodpeckers are often compared, with the larger bird's voice higher in pitch. Scientists speculate that the Downy Woodpecker may have evolved to look like the more formidable Hairy Woodpecker in order to compete for food with larger bird species. Recent DNA analyses show that the Downy Woodpecker is most closely related to two southwestern species - the Ladder-backed and Nuttall's Woodpeckers. The "downy" in this bird's common name refers to the soft, white feathers of the long, white back stripe, in contrast to the similar, but more hair-like feathers on the back of the Hairy Woodpecker, a larger, similarly marked, yet not closely related species. ![]() The Downy is usually a permanent resident, although northern birds may migrate short distances south, and mountain populations may move to lower elevations during severe winters. Seven subspecies are recognized, based on subtle differences in coloration, marking, and size. The Downy Woodpecker can be found across most of the United States and Canada. This canny little woodpecker has also been known to follow White-breasted Nuthatches to their seed caches to swipe food, and from fall through early spring, it regularly joins mixed-species flocks of chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches, thereby maximizing foraging opportunities. Sometimes, a Downy Woodpecker will follow the crow-sized Pileated Woodpecker, taking advantage of the larger bird's excavations and any insects it might overlook. Nimble and active, Downies can even cling upside-down like a nuthatch or chickadee. The Downy Woodpecker is able to forage for food where heavier woodpeckers can't, including on the slender upper branches of trees and shrubs and on weed stems. The Benefits of Being Smallīeing small has certain advantages. The Downy is the smallest woodpecker in North America and could be voted "most likely to visit a backyard feeder," where it holds its own alongside larger birds such as the Northern Cardinal and Blue Jay. Producer: John Kessler Executive Producer: Dominic Black © 2014 Tune In to Nature.Famed ornithologist John James Audubon remarked that the Downy Woodpecker "is perhaps not surpassed by any of its tribe in hardiness, industry, or vivacity." Other noted naturalists, from Alexander Wilson to Edward Forbush, sang its praises, with Forbush calling this familiar backyard bird a "model of patient industry and perseverance." 1981 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd, a BMG Company BirdNote’s theme music was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler. 2010, Ling Music Group 'Ace of Spades' by Motorhead, written by Edward Clarke, Ian Kilmister & Phil Taylor. Theme from 'A Summer Place' composed by Percy Faith. Hairy Woodpecker 'pik' call (49075) recorded by Kevin J Colver Hairy Woodpecker 'whinny call' (85105), Downy Woodpecker 'pik' call and Downy Woodpecker 'whinny' call (107281) all recorded by W. …loud and Hairy, like a heavy metal band: īird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. His Hairy cousin prefers hanging out in coniferous woods.īut even if you don’t see them, you can still tell them apart by those calls. ![]() It's the Downy you'll see most often at suburban feeders, especially in deciduous woodland: small, black and white, the male sporting a vivid red patch on the back of its head. And it doesn't have the black spots on its outer tail feathers like the Downy. ![]() The Hairy Woodpecker's the larger of the two, though, with a distinctly longer bill. Got that? Funny thing though, the Downy isn't particularly downy and the Hairy isn't particularly hairy. And that's the call of the Hairy Woodpecker. ![]() Downy and Hairy - Two Similar Woodpeckers ![]()
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