woodpeckers

Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker
At only 5.5-6.7 inches, the Downy woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens, is North America’s smallest woodpecker species. These common black and white birds are year-round residents of Florida. Males have a red tuft on their heads. Look for them in forests where deciduous trees are plentiful, in city parks, and shade trees in your yard. Listen for their shrill calls and rapping on tree trunks and limbs.
In the spring, pair of Downy Woodpeckers will drill a 1-1.5 inch hole in a dead tree trunk or dead limb and line it with woodchips. The pair will take turns incubating 3-8 eggs for about 12 days. Both parents share the responsibility of feeding the chicks bills full of insects for up to three weeks.
Downy Woodpeckers feed on insects including ants, beetles, beetle larvae, and caterpillars. About 25% of the diet consists of berries, seeds, grain, and acorns. You may find Downy Woodpeckers snacking at your bird feeder. Suet is their favorite treat although they also like black sunflower seeds, chunky peanut butter, peanuts, millet, and occasionally may enjoy a drink from your hummingbird feeder.
Photo Credit: Dan Kon, Lynn Marie
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Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius, is the only North American woodpecker that is fully migratory. They live and breed in North-eastern U.S. and Canada and spend their winters between the southern US and Central America. The male has a red throat as pictured here while the female’s throat is white.

From December – March, you may notice a line of holes in the trees and large shrubs in your garden. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has made sapwells where the sap of the tree can be harvested. Bats and other birds may visit the sapwells too. The holes produce no damage to the trees. The woodpecker’s favorite shrubs and trees include Viburnum, Waxmyrtle, Dahoon Holly, Live Oak, and Pine.

When they are not licking up the tree sap, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers will eat insects that are climbing up the tree, caught in the sap, or flying through the air as well as berries and fruits.

Photo Credit: Andy Waldo

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