downy woodpecker

noun

1. a small, North American woodpecker, Picoides pubescens, having black and white plumage.

Word History and Origins

Origin of downy woodpecker¹

An Americanism dating back to 1800–10

Example Sentences

In warm weather, it’s alive with nuthatches, chickadees, sometimes a downy woodpecker.

From Seattle Times

A photo caption that accompanied an image with the article misidentified a downy woodpecker as a hairy woodpecker, and a group of bright yellow finches or vireos was referred to only as “birds.”

From Washington Post

Instead, we found a flock of house finches, another of pine siskins and a diminutive downy woodpecker.

From New York Times

I missed walking outside to the chirpy song of a red-winged blackbird first thing in the morning, the downy woodpeckers tapping away on our old maple tree.

From Washington Post

All around the yard the downy woodpeckers and the Carolina wrens and the tufted titmice are traveling from branch to branch, two by two.

From New York Times