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 larve, 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. 
