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Downy Woodpecker


Downy Woodpecker
Photo Information
Copyright: Mario Belanger (EOSF1) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1381 W: 126 N: 5246] (23469)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-12-23
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 40D, Canon EF 100-400 F4-5.6 L IS USM, ISO 400, B+W 77 010 UV-Haze 1 x
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/100 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-12-24 6:03
Viewed: 680
Points: 58
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [French]
If you celebrate this...or not, I wish you all a Happy Christmas ! :-)

That's a male Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens, 16 cm) on a small branch in wich I put some seeds for them.

From: www.birds.cornell.edu

The smallest and most common American woodpecker, the Downy Woodpecker is found throughout most of North America from Alaska to Florida. It lives in a variety of habitats from wilderness forests to urban backyards, and comes readily to bird feeders.

Description
Small woodpecker.
Black and white plumage.
Plain white back.
Small, pointed bill.

Size: 14-17 cm (6-7 in)
Wingspan: 25-30 cm (10-12 in)
Weight: 21-28 g (0.74-0.99 ounces)
Sex Differences
Male with red patch on back of head, female with black patch.

Sound
Call note a sharp "pik." Also a harsh rattle or whinny.


Conservation Status
Widespread and abundant. May be slightly increasing in some areas.

Other Names
Pic mineur (French)


Cool Facts

The Downy Woodpecker is a frequent member of mixed species flocks in winter. The woodpecker is less vigilant looking for predators and more successful at foraging when in such a flock. It will readily join chickadees or other birds mobbing a predator, but it remains quiet and does not actually join in the mobbing.


Male and female Downy Woodpeckers may stay in the same areas in winter, but they divide up where they look for food. The male feeds more on small branches and weed stems, and the female feeds more on large branches and the trunks of trees. Males appear to keep the females from foraging in the more productive spots. When the male is removed from a woodlot, the female shifts her foraging to the smaller branches.


The Downy Woodpecker uses sources of food that larger woodpeckers cannot, such as the insect fauna of weed stems. It will cling to goldenrod galls to extract the gall fly larvae. The woodpecker prefers larger galls, and uses the exit tube constructed by the larva to extract it.


The Downy Woodpecker varies gradually across its range. Larger birds are found in the north and at higher elevations, while smaller birds live in the south and at lower elevations. Western woodpeckers tend to have less white in the wings and less black on the outer tail feathers.
Hil, eqshannon, Adanac, angybone, Evelynn, vanderschelden, fartash, CeltickRanger, Alex99, nglen, loot, Luis52, jhm, wuta, Maite, jaycee, MMM, pierrefonds has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To loot: Thanks Loot !EOSF1 1 12-26 06:35
To eqshannon: Joyeux Noël Bob!EOSF1 1 12-25 07:20
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 705 W: 13 N: 1405] (5027)
  • [2007-12-24 6:13]

Hi Mario,

Great shot to celebrate the Christmas Season, very nice pose with the bird holding food in its beak, superb detail and colours too.

Merry Christmas and Happy 08

Hil :o)

Noël est un moment fort dans l'année pour les jeunes et moins jeunes que nous sommes. D'un pays à l'autre, les traditions peuvent se ressembler ou au contraire être très diffèrentes. L'apprenant de langue ne peut pas passer à côté de ce point de civilisation important. and so you and I among others, use pictures. This works yes?

Merry Christmas
Bob Shannon
Wilderness Mountains of the West US

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 1 N: 5208] (17609)
  • [2007-12-24 6:48]

Hello Mario,
Merry Christmas and thank you for all your amazing images. May 2008 be a Happy New Year.
Rick

A perfect and lovely Christmas card, Mario! Thanks and Merry Christmas to you too!!

Lovely shot! great details, perfect lighting, wonderful clarity. Just beautiful!
MERRY CHRISTMAS to you! :)

Hello Mario,
The woodpecker is a great Chrismas messenger!
Seasonal greetings from Norway,
Pablo -

A PEACEFUL AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU!

So you decided that you needed a black and white and red photo for your Christmas post, and you just stepped outside and took one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not sure anymore if you "inspire" me or merely "humble" me. You are the master of that lens!

Happy Christmas to you too. I wish you and Mother Nature a good new year.

TFS today, yesterday and tomorrow.
Evelynn : )

Hey MArio,
What a superb shot of this wonderful bird.
Well Done and Merry Chistmas,
Nick :-)

Hello Mario,
Very sharp. Well composed. Good moment.
Well done
TFS
Annick
Merry Christmas!

Hello Mario
Excellent shot of this Downy Woodpecker,
Perfect focusing,colors and BG,
Superb shot,Welldone my friend.

Merry Christmas
Fartash

salut Mario

moi aussi je te souhaîte un Joyeux Noël
avec cette belle photo du pic mineur
tu m'oblige presque a retirer ma photo de pic mineur
que je viens tout juste de poster...

belle pose de l'oiseau, j'aime cette bouffe dans son bec,
superbe pov et cadrage et excellent details, TFS

Asbed

hello mario,
thanks for such a lovely x-mas card, this is a beautiful shot like most of your work, liked the pov and the composition, sharp image with good details of the plumage,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Wish you and your family Merry Christmas

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3586 W: 143 N: 5690] (18601)
  • [2007-12-24 9:15]

Hi Mario.
I like your wonderful bird picture and terrific exposure despite the ultimate contrast subject. The details and sharpness of the bird and trunk are amazing too. Thanks for nice words and greetings. I wish you Happy New Year and Merry Christmas. Bravo and thanks.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2916 W: 34 N: 8651] (32250)
  • [2007-12-24 9:16]

Hi mario. a good close up of this Woodpecker. good detail and natural looking colours. a good pose on the tree. well done TFS.
Nick..
Have a Good Christmas and a Happy New Year.

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
  • [2007-12-24 9:24]

Hola Mario. Muy hermosa la foto. Me agrada la presentacion de hoy. Exelente claridad y nitidez. La pose muy agradable con su comida en el pico.
Saludos Luis52.

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2007-12-24 10:04]

WOW! Stunning image Mario!
The white BG hints of snow which goes hand-in-hand with Christmas!
Sharp with amazing detail.
Excellent composition and POV.
Merry Christmas my friend!
Happy 2008!
Best wishes,
Joe

  • Great 
  • jhm Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 649 W: 0 N: 178] (628)
  • [2007-12-24 10:29]

Hello Mario,

A very great post-card for christmas with a splendid bird as subject.
Wonderful with the small seed between are beak.
Thanks for sharing.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
John.

  • Great 
  • wuta Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 856 W: 2 N: 617] (2142)
  • [2007-12-24 10:36]

Hello Mario , It's a beautiful post card , lovely woodpecker ,good pose colours and framing ,I like it , Greetings ,and I wish you and the famely Merry Cristmas and Happy New Year , Teunie .

  • Great 
  • lizzie Gold Star Critiquer [C: 207 W: 0 N: 605] (2855)
  • [2007-12-24 13:52]

Mario,

Belle capture Mario, beaucoup de détails et de netteté dans cette prise. J'aime bien que tu l'aies capturé avec ce petit bout de graine dans son bec, et ce pic semble avoir du caractère quand on observe attentivement ces yeux!!.

Joyeuses fêtes Mario et continue de partager tes belles prises!

Lise

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1007 W: 64 N: 1266] (5195)
  • [2007-12-24 15:13]

What a marvellous Christmas card, dear Mario!!
How fantastic the shot and how beautiful the pp-work and presentation. I love the beautiful colors, excellent details and marvellous composition.
Thank you very much and very Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Greetings
Maite

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5452 W: 594 N: 3651] (10035)
  • [2007-12-25 1:07]
  • [2] [+]

Hi Mario

Thanks for this beautiful gesture and for this lovely image and also for all the wonderful postings you shared with us throughout the year.

All the best for you and your loved ones during this festive season and beyond into the New Year that looms ahead.

May God shower his choicest blessings on you and your family this Christmas, and for the New Year I wish for you:
Health to Enjoy each day in Comfort,
Copious measures of Love from Friends and Family,
The Exquisite Beauty of Nature,
Wisdom to Choose priorities Sensibly,
Prosperity and the Best of everything,
Generosity so you may Share the above,
Overflowing Happiness and Abundant Joy,
and a Youthful Excitement at life's Simple Pleasures,

Warmest regards
Loot

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2398 W: 94 N: 5543] (17640)
  • [2007-12-25 1:26]

Hello Mario,
Superb photo of this Woodpecker. Perfectly all over.
Again a Merry Christmas,
Peter

Bonjour Mario
Joyeux Noel et comme d'habitude une superbe photo.
Amicalement
Christian

Bonjour mon cher Mario,
tu as encore fait fort sur cette photo !!!!
C'est pas possible, je suis sur que tu les empaille pour arriver à un résultat pareil .....rire !!!!
Je te souhaite un excellent Noël et une année faite de toutes les meilleures chose pour toi et pour tes proches
amitiés,
Pat

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3067 W: 231 N: 6166] (21070)
  • [2007-12-26 0:11]

Absolutely gorgeous shot of this woodpecker, Mario.
Congratulations as it is perfect on all counts.
Merry Christmas and Happy 2008 to you and your family, my friend.
Thank you for sharing all your beautiful images throughout the years.
ManYee

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2007-12-26 8:16]

Hi Mario,

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. I love your choice of the woodpecker for your seasons greetings. Fantastic picture - wonderful pose. I love the seed in his mouth. Colors and details are just superb. The face, wings and plumage are all beautiful.

Jane

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 921 W: 0 N: 1985] (8905)
  • [2007-12-26 15:20]

Salut Mario
Joyeux Noel a toi et ta famille.Excellente presentation.Belle pause du sujet et image bien nette.Le details et les couluers sont excellent.
Merci Michel

Bonjour Mario,
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful capture, you really couldn't have chosen a better one for the occasion. Happy New Year! :)

Bonjour Mario,

Ce pic bois mineur semble attentif à son environnement. Il a un plumage très coloré, la prise de vue permet de distinguer avec précision les détails de ses plumes. Une belle réussite, merci du partage.

Pierre

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