Downy Woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

The Downy Woodpecker is a small, black-and-white woodpecker found in North America. It has a distinctive black-and-white plumage, with a white back, black wings marked with white spots, and a white belly. The male has a small red patch on the back of its head. This woodpecker is commonly found in woodlands, parks, and suburban areas, where it forages for insects and seeds by tapping on tree bark. It also excavates nest cavities in dead trees or limbs. The Downy Woodpecker is known for its drumming, a rapid series of strikes against a resonant object to communicate and establish territory.

Habitat: Woodlands, parks, suburban areas

Downy Woodpecker
© Paul Danese · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Tours where you can spot this bird

Saskatoon Winter Birdwatching Tour 2026
Saskatoon Winter Birdwatching Tour 2026
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 14 days | 0h

Tours Niche: Birdwatching Tours and Bird Photography Tours Tours Region: Saskatchewan, Canada Tours Duration: Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multi-...

From 65.00 CAD
Cheerful Chickadee Feeding and Photography Tours 2026
Cheerful Chickadee Feeding and Photography Tours 2026
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 60 days | 0h

Tours Niche: Birdwatching Tours and Bird Photography Tours Tours Region: Saskatchewan, Canada Tours Duration: Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multi-...

From 190.00 CAD
President Murray Park Bird Walk – 1 hour birding in Saskatoon’s best coniferous forest park
President Murray Park Bird Walk – 1 hour birding in Saskatoon’s best coniferous forest park
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 1h

Tours Niche: Birdwatching Tours and Bird Photography Tours Tours Region: Saskatchewan, Canada Tours Duration: Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multi-...

From 95.00 CAD
Saskatoon Evening Bird Walk – 4 great outings to our best birding hotspots
Saskatoon Evening Bird Walk – 4 great outings to our best birding hotspots
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 14 days | 0h

Tours Niche: Birdwatching Tours and Bird Photography Tours Tours Region: Saskatchewan, Canada Tours Duration: Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multi-...

From 65.00 CAD
Donna Birkmaier Park Birding and Walking Tour – 2 fantastic hours birding in Saskatoon’s best natural park
Donna Birkmaier Park Birding and Walking Tour – 2 fantastic hours birding in Saskatoon’s best natural park
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 2h

Tours Niche: Birdwatching Tours and Bird Photography Tours Tours Region: Saskatchewan, Canada Tours Duration: Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multi-...

From 150.00 CAD
Pike Lake Birding Tour – 2 great options
Pike Lake Birding Tour – 2 great options
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 3 days | 0h

Tours Niche: Birdwatching Tours and Bird Photography Tours Tours Region: Saskatchewan, Canada Tours Duration: Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multi-...

From 240.00 CAD
Gardiner Dam – Anerley Lakes Birding Tour – 6 great hours with fascinating woodland and water birds
Gardiner Dam – Anerley Lakes Birding Tour – 6 great hours with fascinating woodland and water birds
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 6h

Tours Niche: Birdwatching Tours and Bird Photography Tours Tours Region: Saskatchewan, Canada Tours Duration: Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multi-...

From 390.00 CAD
Weir Birding and Walking Tour in Saskatoon’s river valley 2026
Weir Birding and Walking Tour in Saskatoon’s river valley 2026
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 14 days | 0h

Tours Niche: Birdwatching Tours and Bird Photography Tours Tours Region: Saskatchewan, Canada Tours Duration: Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multi-...

From 130.00 CAD
Forestry Farm Park Bird Walk – birding in Saskatoon’s best wooded park
Forestry Farm Park Bird Walk – birding in Saskatoon’s best wooded park
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 14 days | 0h

Tours Niche: Birdwatching Tours and Bird Photography Tours Tours Region: Saskatchewan, Canada Tours Duration: Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multi-...

From 95.00 CAD