March 28, 2002
Photo Gallery of Wing Island Birds - Archives
Downy Woodpecker
| Our smallest woodpecker, the Downy, is a mere six inches long. It utters a descending "whinny" and has a flat "peak" call. This woodpecker nests in holes excavated in dead trees. The strong beak is used to peck away at the bark as the Downy searches for insects. Courtship begins in early spring when both the male and female of this species drums on wood. Pairs are usually monogamous and both sexes will incubate the four to five eggs laid. |