Males have a red cap on the back of their heads which the females lack. Downy woodpeckers usually nest only once. Eggs hatch in 12 days, the young fledge 20-25 days after that. Male downy woodpeckers display a lot when courting or defending territory. Their displays consist of crest raising, dancing and drumming on trees.
Sexes forage separately with the male preferring the smaller branches and the upper canopy layers.
Downy woodpeckers prefer open woodlands, orchards and parks everywhere in the United States except for the driest parts of the southwest. Downy woodpeckers prefer the same habitat as man, open woodlands, orchards and suburbs. They unafraid of humans and will often come to feeders during the winter. Downy woodpeckers, like any other woodpeckers, need dead trees to hollow out for their nests. It is important to leave dead trees standing if they don t endanger people or property.