Downy Woodpeckers are resident birds that are about the size of a House Sparrow – and the smallest of woodpeckers found in the United States and Canada. They occur in most forests, forest edges, and in cities and towns of the continental U.S. and southern Canada.
Adult males have a band of red across the back of the head and adult females usually have no red on the head. Juvenile males often have some red on the forehead and Juvenile females often have white spotting on the forehead. Both juvenile males and females have duller black feathers. Males tend to forage for insects, spiders, and fruit on small branches, shrubs, or large weeds. Females tend to forage on tree trunks and large limbs.
Nesting of Downy Woodpeckers is typically in a cavity they excavate in a well-rotted branch stub. The cavity entrance is often placed below the branch and facing somewhat downward – thus helping to hide it and to keep rain out. The male usually roosts in the cavity at night with eggs or young. As chicks mature he often roosts in a different cavity. Woodpeckers in general do not add nest material to a nest or roost cavity, but as a cavity becomes dirty or wet, they chip small bits of wood from the walls of the cavity to cover the bottom.