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Downy Woodpecker

Picoides pubescens

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Picoides pubescens by EricBrian
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Order
Piciformes
Family
Picidae
Genus
Picoides
Species
pubescens
Regional

This bird has been reportedly found in the following regions:

Fairhope, Alabama

Logan Lake, British Columbia

San Anselmo, California

Solvang, California

Aurora, Colorado

North Haven, Connecticut

Sandy Hook, Connecticut

Daytona Beach, Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

Lecanto, Florida

Melbourne, Florida

New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

Trenton, Florida

Winter Springs, Florida

Byron, Georgia

Calhoun, Georgia

Dacula, Georgia

Dallas, Georgia

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Montpelier, Idaho

Algonquin, Illinois

Cherry Valley, Illinois

Grayslake, Illinois

Rock Falls, Illinois

Springfield, Illinois

Westchester, Illinois

Corunna, Indiana

Fishers, Indiana

Plainfield, Indiana

Yale, Iowa

Oskaloosa, Kansas

Hebron, Kentucky

Melbourne, Kentucky

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Clinton, Maryland

Hanover, Maryland

Linthicum Heights, Maryland

Oakland, Maryland

North Attleboro, Massachusetts

Bear Lake, Michigan

Chesaning, Michigan

Constantine, Michigan

Dearborn, Michigan

Dearborn Heights, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan

Mount Clemens, Michigan

Onekama, Michigan

Royal Oak, Michigan

Traverse City, Michigan

Albertville, Minnesota

Hamel, Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Bolivar, Missouri

Cole Camp, Missouri

Conway, Missouri

Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Robert, Missouri

Warner, New Hampshire

Beachwood, New Jersey

Marlton, New Jersey

Sparta, New Jersey

Wenonah, New Jersey

Woodstown, New Jersey

Amityville, New York

Himrod, New York

Yonkers, New York

Cary, North Carolina

Raleigh, North Carolina

Winston Salem, North Carolina

Belfield, North Dakota

Medora, North Dakota

Chillicothe, Ohio

Columbiana, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio(2 reports)

Corning, Ohio

Guysville, Ohio

Haskins, Ohio

Hilliard, Ohio

Lebanon, Ohio

Logan, Ohio

Williamsburg, Ohio

Molalla, Oregon

Meshoppen, Pennsylvania

Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania

Lancaster, South Carolina

Pawleys Island, South Carolina

Summerville, South Carolina

Clarksville, Tennessee

Summertown, Tennessee

Austin, Texas

Copperas Cove, Texas

Crosby, Texas

Euless, Texas

Fort Worth, Texas(2 reports)

Friendswood, Texas

Magnolia, Texas

Spring, Texas

Magna, Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah

Essex Junction, Vermont

Newbury, Vermont

Appleton, Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Gardener's Notes:
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7 positives 2 neutrals 0 negative
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e

elangston

Pawleys Island, SC | July 2021 | Positive
We have a pair of Downy woodpeckers that have been in our yard for quite a few years. They are fun to watch and we always make sure they have suet feeders handy. I would love to see the babies but never have to my knowledge. One of my favorite birds! We live in Litchfield, Pawleys Island, SC.
B

BtrflyEmporium

Mount Clemens, MI (Zone 6b) | May 2016 | Positive
I adore these birds. They happily live in my garden / yard and surrounding area.
C

Cville_Gardener

Clarksville, TN (Zone 7a) | January 2012 | Positive
Besides being useful for removing insects from tree bark, these birds are a joy to watch. They love the suet feeders and frequent them all winter.
h

hydey6

Corunna, IN | August 2011 | Positive
I've never had any problems with this bird. I put out woodpecker bars and that is all they go after. They sometimes peck at the peanuts in the peanut ring for the blue jays and a blue jay will land on top of the hook and stare at him, waiting for him to leave, which is rather comical.
p

pdools_NJ

Sparta, NJ (Zone 6a) | July 2010 | Neutral
I love to have any and all birds in my Northern NJ backyard, but I'm thinking twice about my downy woodpeckers. They love the necter in my hummingbird feeders and can drain one in two days. I don't mind refilling the feeders, but I can't believe this much sugar is healthy for their diet.
In his spare time, one of the larger males has taken up pecking a hole in my shed. I'm going to try a suet feeder to try and allure them to something better for their diet (and my shed). I stopped putting out my wren house, because I heard they break other birds' eggs- hence my new neighbors.
Just goes to show you, we are all part of nature and not bigger than it. A solution for one problem opens the door to a new one- you just need to leave it all alone and let nature run it's c... read more
b

bungalow1056

Winston-Salem, NC (Zone 7b) | April 2010 | Positive
These woodpeckers are a hoot. The enjoy giving me a start by banging on my home's aluminum siding to claim their territory during the Spring mating season.
p

plantladylin

(Zone 1) | September 2009 | Positive
The Downy is found throughout Florida, and we had a pair nest in a Camphor Tree in our back yard this year. The female didn't seem to mind my presence if I sat on the bench under the tree, but the male was very vocal if he was nearby and I was anywhere in that area of the yard. He would flit back and forth from one tree to another and really make a racket. I don't know how many babies were hatched but it was fun watching the parents going to and from the nest hole to feed them. The adult would fly down to one of the suet feeders and back to the nest with the babies chirping loudly.

My book on Florida birds says the Downy's diet consists of beetles, cockroaches, ants and other insects and that vegetable matter make up a small portion of the food intake.
M

Malus2006

Coon Rapids, MN (Zone 4a) | January 2009 | Positive
One of the most common woodpecker in the Twin Cities, they will nest even in telephone poles. They are small compare to other woodpeckers, being rather larger than a sparrow but smaller than a dove. They will regularly visits feeder if they can handle the perching but will loves to come to suet feeders all year round.
G

Grasmussen

Anchorage, AK (Zone 4a) | January 2009 | Neutral
Only the males have a bright red patch on the back of the head.
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