Friday Backyard Bird Blogging: Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens

This is an example of truth in advertising. The above pictures are of downy woodpeckers, Picoides pubescens (click the pic to enlarge). The small inset picture is shown because the small red spot on the back of its neck can be seen. Though these birds are apparently very common, I have never been aware of their presence around my house until I recently started buying birdseed for the backyard. I happened to buy the woodpecker bar seen below, without any real expectation that it would actually attract woodpeckers, but it took less than 2 days before the birds began feeding on the bar.

Find out more about the downy woodpecker at Animal Diversity Web.

And don't forget to check out Modulator's Friday Ark!