Pair of Downy Woodpeckers at the Visitor Center Feeders

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, a male and female Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) were spotted snacking on suet at the Visitor Center Feeder windows. 

While downies do not mate for life, they are monogamous and typically coparent with the same partner throughout the summer months. While some pairs may re-couple for multiple breeding seasons, others may opt to find another partner season to season. Coupling behavior typically begins in late winter, with pair bonds established in late March. These pairs will forage together until incubation begins, usually around early spring. Like most woodpeckers, downies are sexually dimorphic; males have a distinctive red nape that the female lacks.

Photo by Jesse Amesbury