348 



MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



166. Downy Woodpecker. Dryobates pubescens medianus (5i^ains.). (394c) 



Synonyms: Little Guinea Woodpecker, Little Sapsucker (error). — Pious (Dendrocopus) 

 medianus, Swains, 183L — Picus pubescens, Linn, (part), and most American authors. — 

 Picus medianus, Nutt., 1834. — -Dryobates pubescens, Cab., 1863, A. O. U. Check-list, 

 1889-1895. 



Figure 89. 



In general appearance precisely like the Hairy Woodpecker, but decidedly 

 smaller, the wing usually less than four inches long and the total length 

 from 6^ to 7 inches (See note under Hairy Woodpecker). 



Distribution. — Middle and northern parts of eastern United States and 

 northward. 



Probably the Downy Woodpecker, though actually not so abundant 

 as some other members of the fami]\-, is Ix'tter known than any other 

 woodpecker of the state. He is 

 a familiar resident not only of the 

 deep forests and smaller patches 

 of outlying woodland, but of nearly 

 every orchard and grove, even 

 coming regularly into the parks and 

 shaded streets of our towns and 

 villages and frequently nesting in 

 such places, particularly if the 

 English Sparrow is not super- 

 abundant. He shows a slight 

 tendency to withdraw to quieter 

 regions during the nesting period, 

 and is doubtless more conspicuous 

 in winter when the trees are leafless, 

 but nevertheless is in evidence at 

 all times of the year. 



He is one of our most confiding 

 birds, and when busily at work 

 cutting out grubs from fruit trees, 

 or pecking into a dead stub for 

 burrowing larvae, will allow a quiet 

 observer to approach within a yard 

 or two and watch every movement. 

 Although he gets a large part of 

 his food from dead and more or 

 less decayed wood he also searches 

 the bark, limbs, and even the twigs 

 of apparently healthy trees in search of eggs, larvae, pupae and adult insects 

 of almost every kind, and we have no more indefatigable insect eater, and 

 probably few birds more beneficial to the farmer and fruit grower. 



According to Beal, who examined 140 stomachs at the Department of 

 Agriculture in Washington, 74 percent of the food consisted of animal 

 matter and 25 percent of vegetable. The animal matter consisted almost 

 entirely of insects, of which ants formed about one-third (23 percent), 

 beetles another third (24 percent) and the remainder was made up largely 

 of caterpillars, with numerous bugs, among which were considerable 

 quantities of plant lice. The vegetable food, forming 25 percent of the 



I- ig. 89. Downy Woodpecker. 



From Coues' Key to North American Birds, 5th 



ed., 1903. Dana Estes & Co. 



