Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Recycling Christmas Trees Before Christmas

Downy Woodpecker, Toronto photographer Robert RaftonI've often thought that Downy Woodpeckers seem to favor evergreens (i.e. Christmas trees) but maybe I'm wrong. Not only can you find them in any sort of tree, but sometimes on telephone poles as well. They're in Toronto year-round.

This is a male, easy to spot because of the splash of red on the back of his head. A Downy can very easily be mistaken for a Hairy Woodpecker which looks exactly the same (more or less) except they're bigger and have a longer bill. If you're walking through a park in Toronto and you hear what sounds like someone hammering wood, chances are you're hearing a Downy.