112 BIRDS OF OHIO. 



orchards and shade trees during the winter and spring, 

 sometimes nesting in old apple trees. Their search after 

 insects within the' bark of trees has earned for them the mis- 

 taken title of Sapsucker, and with the title a measure of 

 persecution. It is doubtful whether either of these birds 

 have ever done as much damage as good to the tree from 

 which they have taken injurious insects. Wood-boring 

 beetles, both adults and larvae, caterpillars, mostly tree-bur- 

 rowing, and wood-boring ants comprise the chief summer 

 food. It is therefore clear that this woodpecker is one of 

 our best preservers of the forests. In winter' they may eat 

 nuts, frozen fruit, and weed seeds when insects are hard to 

 find. They also eat the inner bark of some trees. 



There seems to be no direct evidence that this and the 

 next species migrate at all. 



151. (394c.) Dryobates pubescens medianus (Swains.). 

 141. 

 Downy Woodpecker. 



Synonyms: Picus pubescens, P. medianus, Dryobates pubes- 

 cens. 

 "Sapsucker," Little Sapsucker, Small Sapsucker. 

 Kirtland, Ohio Geol. Surv., 1838, 162, 179. 



This is the more familiar and better known of our two 

 small winter woodpeckers. A little encouragement in the 

 way of broken nut meats or suet tied or nailed to some tree 

 or board placed for that purpose, will make him a regular 

 winter visitor even to the window sill. In summer he is 

 likely to choose a useless apple tree for his nest, if not 

 startled away. 



This and the preceding species troop through the woods, 

 in winter, with the Chickadees, Tufted Tits, Nuthatches, 

 and Goldfinches, and often others, making an otherwise 

 dreary waste of timber full of life and interest. 



In habits this little woodpecker resembles the Hairy 

 closely, eating the same kind of food. It may be known 

 from the Hairy by its smaller size and weaker bill, and 

 higher pitched voice. 



