Downy Woodpecker

The Downy Woodpecker is, shall we say, obvious! Whether unloading on trees (or you down spout!) or chasing each other around trees during courtship, these 5 inch birds are a delight to behold.

This birds movements are intriguing. While foraging for food, he'll cling to tree bark with ease. Attribute this abilityto:

Zygodoctyl feet (two toes in front, two toes in back)
Tail feathers so stiff that they can penetrate paper
Thick skin that protects against rough bark and biting ants

This arrangement of traits is most convenient for a bird who spends so much time plying the rough texture of bark.

And he's smart about things, too! To conserve energy, the downy woodpecker will first climb up and then fly down the tree. Why? Because its more "energy-expensive" to climb down a tree.

Smart bird!

Many bird watchers inquire about the distinction between the downy and hairy woodpeckers. It's simple really.

The Hairy Woodpecker beak is at least as long as his head; the Downy woodpecker beak is much smaller. There are other attributes to look for as well, but never-mind. The beak size is the telltale sign.

I get this questions about woodpeckers frequently.

"How do they handle all that pounding?"

The musculature of their skull diverts the impact to below the brain to the base and back of the skull. That,combined with the aforementioned traits, allow this bird to chisel away until his heart's content.

Feeding

A downy will try almost anything at your feeder station. Favorites include:

Suet
Shelled peanuts
Black oil or blends with black oil
Cracked corn
Baked goods
Peanut butter

Suet is your best option. If black birds become a problem, take advantage of this birds remarkable agility and utilize an upside down suet feeder. The downy woodpecker will cling comfortably to the bottom of this feeder style to reach the suet. Grackles and starlings are perchers, not clingers and so struggle when forced to "grab hold" of something.

I've used many upside down suet feeders in my days, and far and away, models with deeper walls are most effective. As such, I recommend Looker Products upside down suet feeder.

Another great feeder for this bird is manufactured by Kettle Moraine (pictured at right). The front of this feeder is angled, which forces a bird to "grab hold" of a set of embedded grooves --perfect design for clingers!

Fill this feeder with a woodpecker blend consisting of black oil, shelled peanuts and cracked corn. They'll love you for it and so will nuthatches and titmice (chickadees are a bit too short to reach the port).

Kettle Moraine offers a very cool meal worm feeder that forces birds to cling. This is a GREAT option for feeding meal worms, particularly if you find that pest birds hog your offering.

Another great clinger feeder that the Downy Woodpecker dines regularly at is called the Songbird Essentials clinger. This product is a cheap, plastic feeder upon which little woodpeckers and other small clingers can naturally cling.

It's a great option for the bargain hunter. I recommend filling it with sunflower chips.

However you decide to attract the little Downy Woodpecker, you're in for a treat. This bird is truly a joy to watch.

I hope you found this article about the Downy Woodpecker useful. Click here for more great information about specific bird species. Click here for more great information about bird feeders and bird houses.