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Downies are the smallest woodpeckers in North America. At six inches, they are just a bit bigger than chickadees. This photo shows a female downy woodpecker)

Photo by DON BARTLING

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Downy woodpecker: The daintiest of the woodpeckers!
February 21, 2019 midnight

Downy woodpecker: The daintiest of the woodpeckers!

The smallest of the woodpeckers, downies are a familiar friend in backyards throughout North Idaho. They seem delicate even as they chisel out cavities in tree trunks, one chunk at a time. Downy woodpeckers eat a variety of foods including seeds, fruits and insects, and they visit suet feeders throughout the year.