Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPiciformes (Woodpeckers and Allies)
- FamilyPicidae (Woodpeckers)
- GenusDryobates (Dryobates Woodpeckers)
- SpeciesDryobates pubescens (Downy Woodpecker)
About the Downy Woodpecker
The downy woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) is a species of woodpecker, the smallest in North America. Length ranges from 14 to 18 cm (5.5 to 7.1 in). Downy woodpeckers primarily live in forested areas throughout the United States and Canada, with the exception of deserts in the southwest and the northern tundra. The bird nests in tree cavities and feeds primarily on insects, although it supplements its diet with seeds and berries. The downy woodpecker is very similar in appearance to the hairy woodpecker, although they are not closely related.
The downy woodpecker was described and illustrated with a hand-coloured plate by the English naturalist Mark Catesby in his The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, which was published between 1729 and 1732. When in 1766 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for the twelfth edition, he included the downy woodpecker, coined the binomial name Picus pubescens and cited Catesby's book. The specific epithet pubescens is the Latin for "pubescent" or "downy". Linnaeus specified the type locality as America septentrionali (North America) but the locality is now restricted to South Carolina... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Downy Woodpecker in Wood Buffalo National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Wood Buffalo National Park
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Isle Royale National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Cape Breton Highlands National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Gros Morne National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 8 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Wood Buffalo National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 11 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Wrangell-St. Elias National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Kenai Fjords National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Denali National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Katmai National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Downy Woodpecker in Wood Buffalo National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Downy Woodpecker sighting in Wood Buffalo National Park, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Downy Woodpecker in Wood Buffalo National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Downy Woodpecker in Wood Buffalo National Park in our monthly data.