Zunaid Khan Photography

This is the first of a series of posts on the types of birds that can be seen in the Toronto area. If you are interested in learning more about birds, their behaviour and habitats, join me on a guided nature walk through the area’s ravines and parks. For more on my guided nature walk service, please visit this page.

The bird featured in this post is the Downy Woodpecker. This bird is a year-round resident in this area and does not migrate. It is the smallest woodpecker in North America, with its length ranging between 14 and 18 cm. It tends to forage along the bark of trees in forested areas in search of insects. In urban environments, these birds do visit backyard feeders. When foraging, they can be quite acrobatic and, due to their size, are quite adept at balancing on tiny branches or slender plant galls.

The photos below showcase a behaviour I observed while studying these birds foraging along tree bark, where they perform a twisting motion of their necks to create holes in the bark while foraging for insects. The bird in the photos is the female; the male has a red patch on the back of his head.

Below are a couple of photos of the male.

Stay tuned for the next bird feature post.