Clipboard : BREEDING BIRD: DOWNY WOODPECKER

(Picoides pubescens) Description: This a small woodpecker with black wings, back and head. A white streak across the back accents white wing markings and grayish-white belly. Its white eyebrows and face markings contrast with a black head. There is a bright red marking on back of crown. Nearly identical to the hairy woodpecker in markings and coloring, it appears to be a miniature version of the species. Length: 6 1/2 inches. Habitat: Territory throughout Orange County is rapidly expanding. Prefers wooded areas, including golf courses and parkland, orchards and river groves. Diet: Chiefly insects, some fruits and seeds. Will visit feeder. Displays: Male drums bill against tree to attract mate or to defend a territory. Mates sing duets in courtship display. Nest: Female selects new nest site each year. Hole excavated in tree with entrance hidden by bark or tree lichen, then lined with chips. Eggs: White. Slightly less than an inch long. Call: A flat pick ; song is a series of whinnying notes descending in pitch. Notes: Commonly observed in parks and suburbs, this is a very active bird. It will roost in birdhouse, but will not use birdhouse for nest site. Breeding bird atlas: To report bird breeding activity in your neighborhood, or to get information on the breeding bird atlas, call Sea and Sage Audubon Society members Sylvia Gallagher, (714) 962-8990, or Nancy Kenyon, (714) 786-3160. Note: Map is divided into 5-kilometer squares so that Audubon Society volunteers can more easily survey areas on a regular basis. Sources: Sea and Sage Audubon Society; “The Birder’s Handbook,” Ehrlich, Dobkin and Wheye, Fireside Books (1988); “Field Guide to the Birds of North America,” National Geographic Society (1987); “Birds of Southern California: Status and Distribution,” Garrett and Dunn, Los Angeles Audubon Society (1981). Indicates 5-kilometer-square areas where breeding activity has been confirmed.