Downy woodpeckers are the smallest woodpeckers in North America. These hardy little birds peck in dead or sick trees. They live in other places too. When a female and male mate together, they will find a tree to tap on. This means that that's their territory. Sometimes males need to fight other males while the females watch. Sometimes they sing. But that does not mean that they are happy. Two main reasons are to attract a mate and defend a territory. They feed on nuts and insects. The male has a red patch on his head, while the female doesn't.

---Observed by Elizabeth in Queen’s Park on November 5, 2006