charlotte_chorzempa's Identifications

ID - Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) - The Downy Woodpecker is normally around 6.5 inches and has black upperparts are checked with white on the wings, the head is boldly striped, and the back has a broad white stripe down the center. Males have a small red patch on the back of the head. The outer tail feathers are typically white with a few black spots. While very similar to the Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpeckers can be identified by the shorter bill and they are smaller in size.

Weather - On the day of observation, it was rainy, and the temperature was 54 degrees F, with a high of 57 and a low of 50 for the day. Humidity was at 96% with a wind speed of 7 mph from the southwest with 0.45 in of precipitation.

Notes - Downy Woodpeckers hitch around tree limbs and trunks or drop into tall weeds to feed on galls, moving more acrobatically than larger woodpeckers. Their rising-and-falling flight style is distinctive of many woodpeckers. You’ll find Downy Woodpeckers in open woodlands, particularly among deciduous trees, and brushy or weedy edges. They can also be found in orchards, city parks, backyards and vacant lots. When this bird came to the feeder it displaced a few smaller birds like the Black-capped Chickadee.