downy woodpecker

I adore these wonderous birds

Ok, I am going to put up some pictures I got just like I did with the frogs and lizards!

side view of the head! ~~~~~~~~~~~And here is a head on view.

Here is a female looking for any ~~~~A male going at it! I really injoy

enemys. they do that alot. ~~~~~~~watching these wonderful birds! :)

As you can see from the pictures ~~This is a male. it almost looks

I put up in this post and in the last ~~like it is looking at me! :)

one, that the spots can vary from

one bird to another.

Well, I sure hope this blog is helping you! ;) Then I will post about the tufted titmouse! :D

_____

>{Megan}<

Like I said if you have any questions about the frogs and lizards just ask me! I am going on to birds. I will talk about the downy woodpecker. They are about 5-6 inches long. the downy woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in North America!


This bird is a common feed bird if you put suets out. Another name for the downy is the Friend downy. Because, you can get pretty close without them flying away. they are very enjoyable birds. I find they movements very interesting. I have several pictures of their neat movements! I will post a few pictures after I tell you a little bit about the downy woodpecker. On my feeder I have downy woodpeckers,red-bellied woodpecker, hairy woodpecker,sparrows,tufted titmouse,white-breasted nuthatch, and rarely a pileated woodpecker. I think I have pictures of all of them accept the pileated woodpecker. Now, Males and females have one VERY obvious. The males have a red spot on the back of their head,whereas, the females do not.

this is a male. And, here is a female.

just as a little warning the females seem to be more timid. I had to zoom in alot to get these pictures. downys are year-round birds. As you can tell, these pictures were taken during the winter. So you should be seeing plenty of them. The way God made their tongues is so cool. the downy can extend it's tongue far beyond the point of the beak, and the tip of the tongue is hard and horny and covered with short backward-slanting hooks acting as a spear or harpoon. so when the tongue is thrust into the grub it pulls it out easily. When not in use, the tongue lies soft in the mouth, like a wrinkled earthworm, but when in use, the bones spring out, stretching it to it's full length, and it is then slim and small. here is the best picture I can get with it's mouth open. it's not a very good picture. But, it's the only one I have. The spot are very pretty!

You can see a little bit of food in it's mouth! As you can see the spots can vary.

I think I have posted enough about the downy woodpecker. I can't think about any other thing to say about it. If you have any questions just ask me. ;)

Megan