Downy woodpecker

Female downy woodpecker perched on a snow-covered branch among crabapples

The downy woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in Manitoba, about the size of a house sparrow, and one of the friendliest at a feeder. It clings to a suet cake or a snowy post with a tiny, chisel-shaped bill, tapping and pausing to look around. It is easy to mistake for the larger hairy woodpecker, but the downy’s short bill, barely a third the length of its head, gives it away.

Downy woodpeckers stay in Manitoba all year, living in deciduous woods, river valleys, shelterbelts, and town yards. Males have a small red patch on the back of the head, while females are plain black and white. They pick insects and larvae from small branches and weed stalks, and in winter they come to suet and sunflower seeds. In spring, listen for their soft, rapid drumming on a branch.

To learn more about this bird and its habitat, visit the downy woodpecker page at All About Birds.

Field notes in photographs

  • Female downy woodpecker perched on a branch with a short bill
  • Close-up of a downy woodpecker at a suet cake
  • Downy woodpecker clinging to a snowy post in falling snow
  • Female downy woodpecker perched on a snow-covered branch among crabapples, Manitoba
  • Downy woodpecker perched on a dark metal hook with its beak open and a red patch on the crown

Downy woodpecker Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the downy woodpecker in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the downy woodpecker lives year-round, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the downy woodpecker in Manitoba through the seasons: living year-round in the Boreal Shield, the Boreal Plains, and the Prairies (teal). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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