Downy Woodpecker

Here's a Downy Woodpecker I met a couple months ago. The small red patch at the back of its head indicates this is a male Downy. They are the smallest woodpeckers living in my area.

Though they're not especially closely related, the Downy Woodpecker looks very similar to the larger (though not large) Hairy Woodpecker. I read of a theory that says the Downy evolved to resemble the Hairy so it would get more respect from other birds who mistake it for the Hairy. (Hairy Woodpeckers themselves aren't fooled, but the sparrows and finches tell each other: "Don't mess with him - those Hairy Woodpeckers are tough!".)

From a distance when it's difficult to judge size, the easiest way to distinguish these woodpeckers by looking at the proportion of the beak to the length of the rest of the head. If they look like they're the same length, it's a Hairy Woodpecker. If the beak is clearly shorter, it's a Downy Woodpecker.

March 3, 2021 at the Raritan River Greenway
Photo 120273550, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)



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