THE DOWNY WOODPECKER. 
No. 150. 
DOWNY WOODPECKER. 
A. O. U. No. 394c. Dryobates pubescens medianus (Swains.). 
Description.—Adult: A miniature of the preceding, and with the same 
distinction between the sexes. In the present species the white of the nasal tufts 
encroaches upon the forehead, and is continuous with the superciliary line; the 
wing coverts are more numerously white-spotted; and the outer tail-feathers are 
barred with black; the under parts sometimes exhibit a faint buffy suffusion, 
Length 6.25-7.00 (158.8-177.8); av. of five Columbus specimens: wing 3.75 
(95.3) ; tail 2.57 (65.3); bill 66 (16.8). 
Recognition Marks.—Sparrow size; like preceding species but much smaller, 
bill only a little more than half as long; pink or pimp note. 
Nest, in holes of rotten stubs or decayed limbs, unlined, usually at moderate 
heights. Eggs, 4-6, white. Av. size, .75 x .59 (19.1 X I5.). 
General Range.— Middle and northern portions of eastern United States and 
northward. 
Range in Ohio.—Common,—about three to one of the preceding species. 
Resident. 
DOWNY is one of the most familiar and confiding of birds. Almost 
without suspicion, he is still full of curiosity, and is one of the first birds to 
come up when the call of the Screech Owl is sounded by the bird-man. One 
place is about as good as another for his trade, so when the Cardinals and 
Juncoes have retired in disgust, having thoroughly exposed the shameless 
irick, Downy still lingers, tapping industriously along the smaller branches 
of some near-by tree, or studying the intruder through a maze of dreamy 
content. This little Woodpecker is one of the most frequent visitors in 
orchard and garden. He will begin at the bottom of an apple tree and work 
around it, ascending spirally, and then follow out one branch after another, 
until it would seem that he had exhausted about every possibility of insect-egg 
er hidden worm in connection with that tree. ‘The holes which he digs are 
either prospect shafts or mining tunnels, whose sole object is the golden 
worm. ‘The little miner, therefore, does no injury to the live wood, and con- 
fers incalculable benefits upon the orchard by the destruction of its real 
enemies. 
Downy is one of the most devoted members of the winter troupe. His 
loyalty to this organization is at times almost pathetic. When the bird-man 
comes up, the Juncoes move away in a huffy manner; Major Titmouse 
admonishes the younger members of the family to be on their guard; and 
there is a general edging away that is not flattering to the visitor. The 
Downy Woodpecker is the last to leave, and does so apologetically, as tho he 
were chagrinned at the unexpected rudeness of his friends. Again, when the 
Juncoes and the Goldfinches insist upon pushing out into the open, Downy 
