A widespread small North American woodpecker with a short bill, black and white plumage, and (on the male) a red patch on the back of the head.
Picoides pubescens, family Picidae
‘It was a downy woodpecker, with the red patch on the back of its head.’
‘The birds will love it and if you're one of the few folks out there who have never experienced the awesome power of a downy woodpecker as it batters away at your forehead for hours upon hours at a time then you are in for a real treat!’
‘For giggles I set up the NovaBird Camera and got a shot of a downy woodpecker that decided to forgo the suet log and eat some peanuts and sunflower hearts from the seed feeder.’
‘This improved survivorship was a consequence of reduced natural enemy attack from the parasitoid wasp Eurytoma obtusiventris and from downy woodpeckers.’
‘This morning I watched one of our downy woodpeckers, a real regular at our suet feeder.’
Are You Learning English? Here Are Our Top English Tips