Falling Down(y)
Similar to the hairy woodpecker, the Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) is much smaller, attaining a size of only about 6 inches. This allows the acrobatic little bird to reach insects that woodpecker cousins--stymied by their weight--cannot reach on the ends of twigs and branches. Interestingly, gentlemen and lady downy woodpeckers divide and conquer feeding dives. While gentlemen frequent outlying twigs and weed stems, ladies stick to the comfort of thicker tree trunks branches!
Falling Down(y)
Similar to the hairy woodpecker, the Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) is much smaller, attaining a size of only about 6 inches. This allows the acrobatic little bird to reach insects that woodpecker cousins--stymied by their weight--cannot reach on the ends of twigs and branches. Interestingly, gentlemen and lady downy woodpeckers divide and conquer feeding dives. While gentlemen frequent outlying twigs and weed stems, ladies stick to the comfort of thicker tree trunks branches!