It's one of the most distinctive sounds in the forest.

Most who hear it feel compelled to find the

woodpecker hammering away at a branch to extract

a juicy meal with its long pointed tongue—perhaps

a small insect or larva under the bark of a rotting

tree.

Of the 13 woodpecker species living year-round in

is the smallest and most familiar. At just 14-17 cm

(6-7 in), it can excavate a nest cavity in a dead tree

just 10 cm (4 in) around. This gives the Downy

more habitat options than larger woodpeckers that

need bigger trees, and it often nests in suburban

woods across southern Canada.

The Downy can survive a life-time of hammering

because its strong, chisel-shaped beak, spongy skull

structure and strong neck muscles absorb the force

of the blows. Even its nostrils are covered with

feathers to avoid inhaling sawdust. Watch for a

flash of red on the back of the head when you

locate that tell-tale dat-dat-dat —it's a sure sign that

a male Downy has just come into view.

Face Value: 25 cents

Mintage: 25,000

Composition: Nickel plated steel

Weight (g): 12.61

Diameter (mm): 35

Edge: Plain

Finish: Specimen

Artist: Arnold Nogy

􀂾 Beautiful full-colour painted design of one of

􀂾 This theme is featured in the Canadian Wildlife