Downy woodpeckers look an awful lot like hairy woodpeckers, but downies are smaller - only about six inches long, whereas the hairy woodpecker is about twelve inches long. Also, downies have shorter bills in proportion to their bodies. A general rule of thumb is - if you can't tell, they are probably downies, because those are more commonly seen.
These two faced each other on a branch and bobbed their heads up and down in unison. "Oh, isn't that sweet! That must be courtship behavior," I thought to myself. Little did I know!
Upon checking the facts, I discovered that female downies do not have red on the nape of their necks. Only the males do. Taking a closer look at my photos, I realized I had two males. They were not being friendly - they were disputing territory! Lesson learned: Assume Nothing!
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