Downy Woodpecker: how to recognise it
A bird of North America. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Alexis Williams · CC BY · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Dryobates pubescens
- Family
- Woodpeckers
- Size
- About 16 cm
- Habitat
- Woods, parks and backyards
- Found in
- North America
The key marks
Small, with a short bill (shorter than the head) and spotted outer tail feathers. Hairy Woodpecker is larger, with a bill as long as its head.
Voice
A soft 'pik'.
Good to know
It is the smallest woodpecker in North America.
Do not confuse with
Compare it with the Hairy Woodpecker. Look at the marks above one by one rather than the overall colour, and practise telling the two apart with real photos.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in woods, parks and backyards. It is especially common in Canada and the United States. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.