Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens

The Downy Woodpecker’s breeding habitat is deciduous forests across most of North America. Where they live, they stay year round. These are the smallest of all North American woodpeckers.
Males and females do not spend time together in the winter. As mating time approaches, both males and females will drum on resonating material such as dead hardwood. Once the pair bond is established, they will cease the drumming and get to work on their nest hole in a dead limb or tree. It usually takes one to three weeks to complete. When the young are hatched, both birds provide captured insect prey for their hungry brood.
Some authorities still classify this bird by the older genus Picoides. Today’s taxonomist recognise seven subspecies of Downy Woodpecker:
- D. p. medianus lives in Alaska east through British Columbia and Alberta to Quebec, and south to Kansas east to New England and North Carolina.
- D. p. glacialis lives in Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula along the shores of the Prince William Sound, and east along coastal Alaska.
- D. p. fumidus lives in southern British Columbia, south through the western slopes of the Cascades and Coast Ranges to the Columbia River.
- D. p. gairdnerii lives in western Oregon, south to northwestern California.
- D. p. leucurus lives in the Rocky Mountains and Intermountain Ranges from southern Alaska, south to northeastern California and east to Nebraska.
- D. p. turati lives in the Cascades from northern Washington, south to northern California, and in the Coast Ranges south to southern California.
- D. p. pubescens lives from southeastern Kansas, south to eastern Texas, east to Virginia, and south into Florida.
I’ve enjoyed the occasional meeting with this species in my southern California yard, as well as other San Diego County locations. In 2016, while visiting a friend in Albuquerque (New Mexico), I met one of these birds near the Rio Grande Nature Center. More recently, during my 2023 expedition across North America, I met them in Kansas, Ohio, and Canada.
19 Photos

Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: Poway. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:03:24 15:18 |
Location:
Poway Grove Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X8924-DownyWoodPecker |
© 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: Poway. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:03:24 15:19 |
Location:
Poway Grove Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X8940-DownyWoodPecker |
© 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: Poway. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:03:24 15:22 |
Location:
Poway Grove Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X9005-DownyWoodPecker |
© 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: Female bird at Whelan Lake. Near Oceanside, California. Northern San Diego County USA 2003-06-29. |
Date Taken: 2003:06:29 10:57 |
Location:
Whelan Lake |
Camera Information: |
File Name: A3F29g12-DownyWoodpecker |
© 2003 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: Heavy molt on this bird I met in my Poway yard, California USA 2003-07-29. |
Date Taken: 2003:07:28 19:26 |
Location:
Poway Grove Park |
Camera Information: |
File Name: A3G28A16DownyWoodpecker |
© 2003 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque New Mexico 2016-03-20. |
Date Taken: 2016:03:22 9:38 |
Location:
Rio Grande Nature Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D726115-DownyWoodpecker |
© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque New Mexico 2016-03-20. |
Date Taken: 2016:03:22 9:37 |
Location:
Rio Grande Nature Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D726094-DownyWoodpecker |
© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: An occasional yard bird in Poway. San Diego County, California USA 2012-03-24. |
Date Taken: 2012:03:24 15:19 |
Location:
Poway Grove Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X8957-DownyWoodPecker |
© 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: Jerry and I enjoyed our Friday visit to the riparian grove next to the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico so much, we returned on Monday to the bosque, as locals call it. We met this Downy Woodpecker along the hiking and biking trails that weave through the Cottonwood and Mulberry trees. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:18 10:28 |
Location:
Tingley Beach |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: DownyWoodpecker_D508609-TingleyBeach-ABQ |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: Jerry and I enjoyed our Friday visit to the riparian grove next to the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico so much, we returned on Monday to the bosque, as locals call it. We met this Downy Woodpecker along the hiking and biking trails that weave through the Cottonwood and Mulberry trees. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:18 10:28 |
Location:
Tingley Beach |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: DownyWoodpecker_D508660-TingleyBeach-ABQ |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: My friends in Herington Kansas bought an old farm, where I enjoyed a few hours chasing birds. Downy Woodpeckers were among the feathered friends I met there. |
Date Taken: 2022:08:10 19:31 |
Location:
Shady Brook |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: DownyWoodpecker_8503418-HeringtonFarm |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: I spent a week visiting friends in Linwood Kansas, and spent parts of several days chasing yardbirds. Those I met were rather shy, and resisted posing for my camera, but I captured what I could. |
Date Taken: 2023:04:17 7:54 |
Location:
Fall Leaf |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: DownyWoodpecker_ZX94087_Linwood-KS |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: I was surprised and delighted to find this Downy Woodpecker deep in the marsh foraging in the hollow dried reeds for insect larva and other morsels. |
Date Taken: 2023:05:09 13:44 |
Location:
Point Pelee National Park |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: DownyWoodpecker_ZX93204_PointPeleeNP-ON-CA |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: I was surprised and delighted to find this Downy Woodpecker deep in the marsh foraging in the hollow dried reeds for insect larva and other morsels. |
Date Taken: 2023:05:09 13:41 |
Location:
Point Pelee National Park |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: DownyWoodpecker_ZX93141_PointPeleeNP-ON-CA |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: I spent the day south of Lawrence Kansas exploring the Baker Wetlands. Bird migration seemed in full swing, and I enjoyed every minute. |
Date Taken: 2023:04:27 8:51 |
Location:
Baker Wetlands |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: DownyWoodpecker_ZX97111_BakerWetlands-KS |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: I spent the day south of Lawrence Kansas exploring the Baker Wetlands. Bird migration seemed in full swing, and I enjoyed every minute. |
Date Taken: 2023:04:27 8:51 |
Location:
Baker Wetlands |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: DownyWoodpecker_ZX97070_BakerWetlands-KS |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: I spent the day south of Lawrence Kansas exploring the Baker Wetlands. Bird migration seemed in full swing, and I enjoyed every minute. |
Date Taken: 2023:04:27 8:51 |
Location:
Baker Wetlands |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: DownyWoodpecker_ZX97065_BakerWetlands-KS |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: I spent a week visiting friends in Linwood Kansas, and spent parts of several days chasing yardbirds. Those I met were rather shy, and resisted posing for my camera, but I captured what I could. |
Date Taken: 2023:04:17 8:00 |
Location:
Fall Leaf |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: DownyWoodpecker_ZX94179_Linwood-KS |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Downy Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens) |
Description: I spent a week visiting friends in Linwood Kansas, and spent parts of several days chasing yardbirds. Those I met were rather shy, and resisted posing for my camera, but I captured what I could. |
Date Taken: 2023:04:17 7:56 |
Location:
Fall Leaf |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: DownyWoodpecker_ZX94137_Linwood-KS |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

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