Photo: Randy Streufert · U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service · Public Domain
← Kodiak species
Woodpeckers
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
The smallest woodpecker in North America, with a compact body, white back stripe, and—in males—a small red patch on the head. A common visitor to backyard feeders and forest edges near Kodiak town.
Where to look
Wooded areas near Kodiak town, streamside alders and cottonwoods, and Fort Abercrombie forest edges.
Habitat
Open deciduous and mixed forests, forest edges, and orchards.
Diet
Insects and larvae found in bark; also seeds and berries.
Natural history note
The Downy Woodpecker uses its stiff tail feathers as a prop when clinging to bark, acting as a third leg.