Downy Woodpecker Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Calls (Eastern)
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New York, November 18, 2017Recorded by Glen Chapman | Macaulay Library
Calls (Eastern)
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New York, March 24, 2019Recorded by Brad Walker | Macaulay Library
Calls (Eastern)
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New York, April 30, 2019Recorded by Brad Walker | Macaulay Library
Calls (Eastern)
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New York, March 24, 2019Recorded by Brad Walker | Macaulay Library
Drum (Eastern)
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Ontario, June 06, 1971Recorded by William W. H. Gunn | Macaulay Library
Juvenile calls (Eastern)
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West Virginia, May 28, 2018Recorded by Wil Hershberger | Macaulay Library
Calls (Rocky Mts.)
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Colorado, April 24, 2011Recorded by Nathan Pieplow
Calls (Rocky Mts.)
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Colorado, April 05, 2008Recorded by Andrew Spencer
Drum (Rocky Mts.)
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Colorado, May 21, 2008Recorded by Nathan Pieplow
Calls (Pacific)
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California, September 08, 2013Recorded by Bruce Rideout | Macaulay Library
Calls (Pacific)
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California, September 08, 2013Recorded by Bruce Rideout | Macaulay Library
Drum (Pacific)
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Oregon, May 07, 1989Recorded by Geoffrey A. Keller | Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Calls

The Downy Woodpecker’s whinnying call, made by both sexes, is a typical sound of deciduous forests during the breeding season. It’s a somewhat excited string of hoarse, high-pitched notes that descend in pitch toward the end; the call lasts about 2 seconds. Excited birds also give a very sharp pik note, occasionally repeated several times.

Other Sounds

Both sexes drum on trees to claim territories, attract mates, and signal readiness for mating. The drumming is made up of very rapid strikes given at a steady pace, almost fast enough to blend into a single uninterrupted sound. The birds also make a slow, deliberate and much quieter tapping as they excavate, and this can attract a mate to the site. Excited Downy Woodpeckers may also produce a “wing ruffle” sound in flight.