Home/Species/ Downy Woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

(Linnaeus, 1766)

Downy Woodpecker

G5Secure Found in 196 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

Least concernIUCN

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105113

Element CodeABNYF07030

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVertebrate Animal

IUCNLeast concern

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomAnimalia

PhylumCraniata

ClassAves

OrderPiciformes

FamilyPicidae

GenusDryobates

Synonyms

Picoides pubescens(Linnaeus, 1766)

Other Common Names

downy woodpecker (EN) Pic mineur (FR)

Concept Reference

American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.

Taxonomic Comments

Formerly (AOU 1983, 1998) placed in Picoides. Phylogenetic analyses of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (Weibel and Moore 2002a, 2002b;Winkler et al. 2014; Fuchs and Pons 2015; and Shakya et al. 2017) have shown that the genus Picoides is polyphyletic (AOU 2018).

Conservation Status

Rank MethodExpertise without calculation

Review Date2016-04-09

Change Date1996-12-02

Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)

Range Extent Comments

BREEDING: western and central Alaska to northern Saskatchewan and Newfoundland, south to southern California, central Texas, Gulf Coast, and southern Florida. NON-BREEDING: throughout breeding range, but more northern populations are mostly migratory, occurring irregularly southward.

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Deciduous and mixed woodland, second growth, parks, orchards, swamps, and riparian woodland. Nests mostly in hole dug by both sexes in dead stub of tree, also in live tree (especially dead part), fenceposts; 1-15 m above ground.

Reproduction

Clutch size 3-7 (usually 4-5). Incubation about 12 days, by both sexes. Young leaves nest at 20-22 days, then dependent on parents for food for 3 more weeks. Possibly 2 broods per year in south.

Terrestrial Habitats

Forest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedSuburban/orchard

Palustrine Habitats

FORESTED WETLANDRiparian

Other Nations (2)

CanadaN5

Province	Rank	Native
Yukon Territory	S4	Yes
Prince Edward Island	S5	Yes
Saskatchewan	S5	Yes
Ontario	S5	Yes
British Columbia	S5	Yes
Alberta	S5	Yes
Island of Newfoundland	S4	Yes
Nova Scotia	S5	Yes
Northwest Territories	S5	Yes
Labrador	S2	Yes
New Brunswick	S5	Yes
Manitoba	S5	Yes
Quebec	S5	Yes

United StatesN5

Province	Rank	Native
Delaware	S5	Yes
Tennessee	S5	Yes
Pennsylvania	S5B	Yes
North Dakota	SNR	Yes
South Dakota	S5	Yes
Oregon	S4	Yes
Wisconsin	S5B	Yes
New Mexico	S5B,S5N	Yes
California	SNR	Yes
Maryland	S5	Yes
Mississippi	S5	Yes
Nevada	S5	Yes
Virginia	S5	Yes
Kansas	S5	Yes
Arizona	S4	Yes
Arkansas	S4	Yes
Nebraska	S4	Yes
Missouri	SNR	Yes
Vermont	S5	Yes
Oklahoma	SNR	Yes
Wyoming	S5B	Yes
Montana	S5	Yes
Alabama	S5	Yes
West Virginia	S5B,S5N	Yes
Utah	S4	Yes
Minnesota	SNR	Yes
District of Columbia	S5	Yes
Colorado	S5	Yes
Michigan	S5	Yes
Indiana	S4	Yes
Alaska	S5	Yes
Texas	S4B	Yes
Rhode Island	S5B,S5N	Yes
Idaho	S4	Yes
Louisiana	S5	Yes
Maine	S5	Yes
New Hampshire	S5	Yes
North Carolina	S5	Yes
New York	S5	Yes
Navajo Nation	S3	Yes
Iowa	S5B	Yes
Florida	S4	Yes
Georgia	S5	Yes
Illinois	S5	Yes
Connecticut	S5	Yes
Kentucky	S5	Yes
Massachusetts	S5	Yes
South Carolina	S5	Yes
Ohio	S5	Yes
New Jersey	S4B,S5N	Yes
Washington	S4	Yes

Roadless Areas (196)

Alaska (11)

Area	Forest	Acres
Boston Bar	Chugach National Forest	53,617
Green Rocks	Tongass National Forest	11,093
Johnson Pass	Chugach National Forest	152,508
Kenai Lake	Chugach National Forest	213,172
Kenai Mountains	Chugach National Forest	306,600
Mansfield Peninsula	Tongass National Forest	54,991
North Etolin	Tongass National Forest	40,993
Redoubt	Tongass National Forest	68,347
Roaded Donut	Chugach National Forest	968
Sitka Urban	Tongass National Forest	112,003
Twenty Mile	Chugach National Forest	198,775

Arizona (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Hell Hole	Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests	15,512
Salt House	Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests	21,848

Arkansas (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Little Blakely	Ouachita National Forest	3,342

California (19)

Area	Forest	Acres
Arroyo Seco	Angeles National Forest	4,703
Bald Rock	Plumas National Forest	4,675
Cajon	San Bernardino National Forest	7,548
Channell	Sequoia National Forest	45,429
Chico	Sequoia National Forest	39,836
Chinquapin	Shasta-Trinity National Forest	22,040
Devil Gulch	Sierra National Forest	30,490
Dry Lakes	Los Padres National Forest	17,043
Horse Mdw.	Inyo National Forest	5,687
Log Cabin Saddlebag	Inyo National Forest	15,165
Lpoor Canyon	Los Padres National Forest	13,762
Mt. Olsen	Inyo National Forest	2,161
Mt. Shasta B	Shasta-Trinity National Forest	2,809
North Lake	Inyo National Forest	2,406
North Mountain	Stanislaus National Forest	7,856
Paiute	Inyo National Forest	58,712
Pyramid	Eldorado National Forest	24,347
Table Mtn.	Inyo National Forest	4,215
Wild Cattle Mtn	Lassen National Forest	4,965

Colorado (5)

Area	Forest	Acres
Comanche Peak Adjacent Area	Arapaho & Roosevelt NFs	44,158
Dome Peak	Routt NF	35,716
Hermosa	San Juan NF	148,103
Long Park	Routt NF	42,100
Red Table	White River NF	39,122

Florida (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Savannah	Apalachicola National Forest	1,927

Georgia (3)

Area	Forest	Acres
Helton Creek	Chattahoochee National Forest	2,348
Kelly Ridge	Chattahoochee National Forest	8,325
Pink Knob	Chattahoochee National Forest	12,127

Idaho (6)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bear Creek	Caribou-Targhee National Forest	118,582
Borah Peak	Salmon-Challis National Forest	130,463
Hoodoo	Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest	153,868
Needles	Payette National Forest	131,279
Palisades	Caribou-Targhee National Forest	122,002
Peace Rock	Boise National Forest	191,734

Maine (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Caribou - Speckled Ext	White Mountain National Forest	5,988

Minnesota (4)

Area	Forest	Acres
Baker - Homer - Brule Lakes	Superior National Forest	6,712
Phantom Lake	Superior National Forest	6,521
Tait Lake	Superior National Forest	6,327
Wood Lake	Superior National Forest	596

Missouri (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Swan Creek Rare II Study Area	Mark Twain National Forest	7,310

Montana (17)

Area	Forest	Acres
Basin Creek	Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest	9,500
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - Swan	Lolo National Forest	118,485
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - Swan	Helena National Forest	51,360
Big Snowy Mountains Wsa	Lewis and Clark National Forest	88,003
Bmss Ra 1485	Flathead National Forest	334,275
Bridger	Gallatin National Forest	45,059
Cube Iron - Silcox	Lolo National Forest	36,998
Fishtail Saddleback	Custer National Forest	16,359
Holter	Helena National Forest	1,965
Lolo Creek	Lolo National Forest	14,335
Mt. Gmt Area H	Custer National Forest	1,335
North Absaroka	Gallatin National Forest	159,075
North Absaroka	Custer National Forest	21,063
Selway - Bitterroot (01067)	Bitterroot National Forest	114,953
Sheep Mountain - Stateline	Lolo National Forest	37,844
Silver King	Lolo National Forest	12,816
West Big Hole	Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest	133,563

Nevada (4)

Area	Forest	Acres
Jobs Peak (NV)	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	1,342
Rose - Dutch Louie	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	363
Rose - Evans	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	4,782
Rose - Whites Canyon	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	2,568

New Hampshire (8)

Area	Forest	Acres
Carr Mountain	White Mountain National Forest	17,110
Jobildunk	White Mountain National Forest	3,660
Kinsman Mountain	White Mountain National Forest	8,999
Pemigewasset	White Mountain National Forest	32,255
Pemigewasset Ext	White Mountain National Forest	15,840
Presidential - Dry River Ext	White Mountain National Forest	10,555
Sandwich Range	White Mountain National Forest	16,797
Wild River	White Mountain National Forest	46,878

New Mexico (11)

Area	Forest	Acres
Arroyo de los Frijoles	Santa Fe National Forest	5,277
Candian River	Cibola National Forest	7,149
Gallinas	Santa Fe National Forest	13,208
Guaje Canyon	Santa Fe National Forest	6,104
Hell Hole	Gila National Forest	19,553
Juan de Gabaldon Grant	Santa Fe National Forest	8,023
Nichols Reservoir	Santa Fe National Forest	1,518
Pecos	Carson National Forest	13,436
Rendija	Santa Fe National Forest	2,176
Thompson Peak	Santa Fe National Forest	33,001
Valle Del Toro	Santa Fe National Forest	1,862

North Carolina (9)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bearwallow	Pisgah National Forest	4,113
Cheoah Bald	Nantahala National Forest	7,795
Craggy Mountain	Pisgah National Forest	2,657
Laurel Mountain	Pisgah National Forest	5,683
Overflow Creek	Nantahala National Forest	3,379
Slide Hollow	Pisgah National Forest	193
South Mills River	Pisgah National Forest	8,588
Tusquitee Bald	Nantahala National Forest	13,670
Woods Mountain	Pisgah National Forest	9,602

Oregon (11)

Area	Forest	Acres
Crane Mountain	Fremont National Forest	23,096
Hebo 1a	Siuslaw National Forest	13,930
Hellhole	Umatilla National Forest	65,679
Homestead	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	5,817
Hurricane Creek	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	1,606
Imnaha Face	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	29,575
Mcclellan Mountain	Malheur National Forest	21,213
Sheep Divide	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	16,201
Sky Lakes A	Winema National Forest	3,940
Snake River	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	31,229
Twin Mountain	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	58,533

South Dakota (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Indian Creek	Buffalo Gap National Grassland	24,666

Tennessee (6)

Area	Forest	Acres
Brushy Ridge	Cherokee National Forest	7,469
Rogers Ridge	Cherokee National Forest	4,738
Sampson Mountain Addition	Cherokee National Forest	3,064
Slide Hollow	Cherokee National Forest	4,057
Stone Mountain	Cherokee National Forest	5,367
Sycamore Creek	Cherokee National Forest	6,984

Texas (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Big Creek	National Forests in Texas	1,447

Utah (31)

Area	Forest	Acres
0401002	Ashley National Forest	36,113
0401005	Ashley National Forest	38,930
0401016	Ashley National Forest	5,695
0419020	Ashley National Forest	355,684
418012	Uinta National Forest	25,758
418017	Uinta National Forest	19,631
418024	Uinta National Forest	51,699
418025	Uinta National Forest	32,698
418040	Uinta National Forest	1,702
Big Bear Creek	Manti-Lasal National Forest	28,440
Burch Creek	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	6,938
Fishhook	Dixie National Forest	12,959
Fishlake Mountain	Fishlake National Forest	25,217
High Uintas (UT)	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	102,398
Horse Mountain - Mans Peak	Manti-Lasal National Forest	22,159
Lakes	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	121,967
Lava Beds	Dixie National Forest	14,944
Lewis Peak	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	11,616
Lone Peak Contiguous	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	874
Mahogany Range	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	11,409
Mt. Aire	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	9,681
Mt. Logan North	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	18,930
Mt. Logan South	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	17,014
Mt. Logan West	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	5,285
Mt. Olympus	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	9,982
North Francis	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	8,148
Pine Valley Mountains	Dixie National Forest	57,673
Signal Peak	Fishlake National Forest	30,889
South Francis	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	3,374
Twin Peaks	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	6,157
Wellsville	Wasatch-Cache National Forest	1,717

Vermont (3)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bread Loaf	Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests	1,768
Devil's Den 09083	Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests	9,169
Wilder Mountain 09082	Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests	8,759

Virginia (14)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bear Creek	Jefferson National Forest	18,274
Brush Mountain	Jefferson National Forest	6,002
Crawford Mountain	George Washington National Forest	9,892
Mountain Lake Addition A	Jefferson National Forest	1,469
New London Bridge Branch	Jefferson National Forest	844
North Mountain	Jefferson National Forest	8,377
Northern Massanutten	George Washington National Forest	9,444
Oak Knob	George Washington National Forest	10,882
Peters Mountain Addition B	Jefferson National Forest	2,909
Seng Mountain	Jefferson National Forest	6,428
Shawvers Run Addition	Jefferson National Forest	1,927
Skidmore	George Washington National Forest	5,641
Southern Massanutten	George Washington National Forest	11,985
The Priest	George Washington National Forest	5,737

Washington (7)

Area	Forest	Acres
Black Canyon	Okanogan National Forest	9,681
Blue Slide	Wenatchee National Forest	17,505
Higgins Mountain	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	13,185
Mt. Baker Ma	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	24,847
Sawtooth	Okanogan National Forest	122,194
Slide Ridge	Wenatchee National Forest	11,430
Thirteenmile	Colville National Forest	12,294

West Virginia (4)

Area	Forest	Acres
Cranberry Addition	Monongahela National Forest	11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical Area	Monongahela National Forest	785
Falls Of Hills Creek	Monongahela National Forest	6,925
Mcgowan Mountain	Monongahela National Forest	10,504

Wisconsin (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
09154 - St. Peters Dome	Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest	4,002
09180 - Perch Lake	Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest	2,390

Wyoming (13)

Area	Forest	Acres
Cloud Peak Contiguous	Bighorn National Forest	113,757
Middle Fork	Shoshone National Forest	51,772
Middle Fork	Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest	13,238
Pacific Creek - Blackrock Creek	Bridger-Teton National Forest	24,658
Palisades	Targhee National Forest	1,121
Phillips Ridge	Bridger-Teton National Forest	10,108
Salt River Range	Bridger-Teton National Forest	235,661
Spread Creek - Gros Ventre River	Bridger-Teton National Forest	166,097
Teton Corridor Trailheads	Bridger-Teton National Forest	286
Walker Prairie	Bighorn National Forest	62,434
West Slope Tetons	Targhee National Forest	47,448
West Slope Winds	Bridger-Teton National Forest	143,252
Wilderness Study Area	Targhee National Forest	51,961

References (29)

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