The Downy Woodpecker is a small woodpecker with white underparts, black wings with white markings, two white stripes on the head, and a white back.

The sexes are largely similar, though males have a red nape.

Visit the Bent Life History page for additional details.

Downy Woodpeckers are resident across nearly all of the U.S. and southern Canada, except for the southwestern U.S. The population appears to be stable.

More information:

Bent Life History

Visit the Bent Life History for extensive additional information on the Downy Woodpecker.

Wing Shape

The shape of a bird's wing is often an indication of its habits and behavior. Fast flying birds have long, pointed wings. Soaring birds have long, broad wings. Different songbirds will have a slightly different wing shape. Some species look so much alike (Empidonax flycatchers) that scientists sometimes use the length of specific feathers to confirm a species' identification.

• Above: male, adult, western Washington, May; middle: male, adult, eastern Washington, Dec.; below: female, adult, Nebraska, Dec.
• Male, adult, Washington, May
• From below

Wing images from the University of Puget Sound, Slater Museum of Natural History

The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in the U.S or Canada.

Unlike the very similar but larger Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpeckers will forage on slender plants such as weed stalks.