Bird Spotting: About the size of a sparrow, the downy woodpecker is the smallest American woodpecker. Its plumage is black and white. A small red patch on the nape (birdspeak for the back of a bird’s neck), distinguishes the male from the female bird.

Habitat: This woodpecker can be found in forests, city parks and even your own back yard.

Nesting: The downy woodpecker takes up residence in a hole of a tree where it lays its four or five white eggs.

Bird Bite: Downy woodpeckers should be considered social butterflies. Although quiet, this bird has no trouble tagging along with other species in flight or as a bystander to a predator attack.

Backyard Tip: Downy woodpeckers like bird feeders. To attract this bird to your yard try planting serviceberry, dogwood, mountain ash or Virginia creeper.