This downy woodpecker has been excavating that cavity in the birch tree for several days, and I’m wondering about the little guy. (The six-to-seven-inch downies are the smallest woodpeckers in North America, and only the males have red nape patches.)
My initial, unthinking reaction was that he had gone crazy and was creating a breeding and birthing nest in the fall instead of the spring. (It doesn’t seem unreasonable to wonder whether a creature that bangs his face against hard surfaces most of the day might go a little crazy every now and then.)
But no, this little guy isn’t crazy. He’s almost certainly creating a winter roosting shelter for himself. After the breeding season, downies part from their mates and usually occupy or create individual roosting holes for warmth and protection during the cold and snowy weather. (See also the image in the Comment space.)
Of course, the cynical among us might see the symbolism in considering this bird a downy real estate speculator. The affordable housing (habitat) crisis has spread from (and by) humans to many species. (Images taken October 19, 2025.)