Common Name:
Downy woodpecker
Scientific Name:
Picoides pubescens
Unique Qualities:
Downy woodpeckers are small birds with white stomachs, breasts and backs, and black tails and wings. Males have a red cap on the back of their heads, which the females lack. Their ability to get rid of unwanted insect pests makes them very valuable to humans.
Can be Seen:
The downy woodpecker occurs over the greater part of North America. In Canada, it is found from Newfoundland across to James Bay, the northern Prairie Provinces, the southern Mackenzie District of the Northwest Territories, northern British Columbia, and the Yukon.
Likes to Hang Out:
The downy woodpecker prefers habitats with broad-leaved trees.
Likes to Eat:
In the spring and summer, the downy woodpecker feeds on free-flying and hidden insect life. It seeks larger and more easily caught prey, such as caterpillars, mayflies, and moths and also eats small wild fruits in season. It hunts down small insects and larvae that infest trees and lie hidden in cracks and crannies along branches, twigs, and down the trunk.
Status:
The downy woodpecker is widespread and abundant in Canada. However, the white-headed woodpecker, a close relative, is endangered in Canada.
