The Downy Woodpecker is North America’s smallest woodpecker and a year-round resident in Arizona, though it is locally distributed and generally confined to riparian woodlands, deciduous forests, and well-vegetated urban areas. Measuring about 5.5–6.7 inches long, it is easily recognized by its black-and-white checkered plumage, short bill, and, in males, a small red patch on the nape. In Arizona, it is found mainly in the central and southeastern regions, particularly along streams and wooded canyons where cottonwoods, sycamores, and willows provide foraging and nesting sites. Unlike its larger relative, the Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus), the Downy’s bill is proportionally shorter, which is an important field mark for distinguishing the two species. It feeds on insects gleaned from bark and foliage, supplemented by seeds and berries, and readily visits backyard feeders, especially for suet and sunflower seeds. Nesting occurs in tree cavities excavated by the pair, and while common across much of North America, in Arizona the species is considered locally uncommon due to the patchy distribution of suitable habitat.
