Downy woodpeckers are small woodpeckers of North America. They can be found foraging on tree bark and plant stems and visiting bird feeders at any time of year.
Winter is a nice time for those who are interested in birding and have yet to start to begin doing precisely that. The birds in a given area have largely picked their homes for the winter, and changes in occupants will be few, providing a more constant and less overwhelming number of bird species to observe. Less foliage on trees and shrubbery means that birds may be more visible than they are among the greenery prevalent in warmer weather. Winter is a fine time to practice identifying these feathered regulars, and this will make spotting the newcomers easier when they do arrive.
I keep an annual list of bird sightings that starts over each year, naturally, on New Year’s Day. The birds that are written at the top of my list are usually blue jays, nuthatches, European starlings, red-tailed hawks, mallards, and downy woodpeckers among others. These and many more bird species can be found in my area throughout the year, but in winter, they take center stage in the absence of flamboyant migrants who either pass through or stay for a season or two or three and depart before winter begins.
Suggesting that winter is an easier time to birdwatch is not to say that winter is devoid of interesting avian activity. Far from it. I find owls to be more active in these colder months. The great horned owl actually nests in winter. I tend to hear and see great horned owls and eastern screech-owls more often in autumn and winter than I do in spring and summer, and seeing them is always a pleasure.
Stocked bird feeders serve as focal points to find a variety of bird species and observe their interactions with each other. Many bird species can be found in close proximity to each other at feeders and even form mixed flocks. This occurrence is uncommon during spring and summer when these birds are nesting and territories are established and defended. Feeders are also places to find sharp-shinned hawks and Cooper’s hawks. These two raptors prey on other birds and know that feeders are promising locations to find them.
And in order to make sure that bird identification is not too easy, some birds are wearing special winter plumage, causing a birder to pause a little bit longer before finally determining the species. The yellow-rumped warbler and goldfinch wear their respective patterns of more neutral beiges and paler yellows in winter, whereas the bright yellow and black accents that they are more commonly known for are sported as warm weather attire.
While birders do eagerly await the myriad of birds that make their first appearances of the year during spring migration, birders also enthusiastically relish the winter arrivals. Winter is an opportunity to find bird species who are in a given area during only this season. Dark-eyed juncos migrate to my area for winter and leave in the spring. Snowy owls are also winter residents whose presence is the source of much excitement among birders. This is the time to see these birds, providing winter birding with an extra touch of specialness.
Taking up birding in winter is a wonderful introduction to different bird species and supplies opportunities to observe avian happenings unique to the season. While becoming acquainted with these birds, the eye and ear will be better trained to pick up little nuances, such as tail shapes, plumage patterns, and calls, that are helpful for identifying any bird species at any time of year.
Bundle up, and happy birding!