Downy Woodpecker Family

I see and hear various woodpeckers in my area. There is only one kind I have been able to catch the babies peaking out of the tree hole of the nesting tree. It is the Downy woodpecker.

Downy Woodpecker Family – Baby

I usually can at least find the tree the babies are in because I heard them making sounds begging for food. It does not always mean you will be able to catch sight of the hole. Sometimes by the time you hear the babies start making the sounds, the hole may be well camouflaged by leaves.

Downy Woodpecker Family – Dad

The parents are usually fairly close by pecking at trees for bugs. Sometimes they even look for food on the nest tree.

Downy Woodpecker Family – mom

I have no idea what kind of food they caught in either of these pictures. Our woods is full of bugs due to all the rain we have experienced the past year, so they won’t go hungry.

Downy Woodpecker Family – Mom feeding baby

I believe the babies have fledged from this particular tree, but I know of at least three other trees in the same woods where the Downy babies were still in the hole. This pictures were before sunset, taken from a distance, and heavily cropped.

If you go to All About Birds the babies sound kind of like this in the woods when they are in the tree, but soon to fledge. I usually start hearing them right before they fledge.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Downy_Woodpecker/sounds

Walk slow and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. What woodpeckers do you see along your journeys?

15 thoughts on “Downy Woodpecker Family”

  1. The Downy’s are quite prevalent in our area, in the forest and we see the odd one in our back yard from time to time. Fortunately, they have not started pecking on my trees. Have a pleasant Sunday Sharon. Allan

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  2. So, no “Knock, knock” jokes? I have some in my neighborhood and you can hear them and red-bellied woodpeckers busy at work. Of course their calls give them away too. Most times I just believe they are saying, “Here we are, but good luck photographing us!”

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    1. There are flickers here but I have yet to find a nest. Merlin app identified the call of a red headed a couple of times but I could never locate it. Tons of pileated here. I have seen pileated parents go in tree holes but never saw babies or feeding.

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    1. The sound of a juvenile on ebird is close to what I heard in the woods. This time of year listen for a sound like that and see which tree it’s coming from. If your lucky the hole will not be obscured by leaves. Then step further back and watch. The parent may come back and feed them while you are further back.

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