Downy Woodpecker

On September 28, 2025 I visited the Buckhorn Campground then followed the Pacific Crest Trail/Burkhart Trail down Cooper Canyon to the Cooper Canyon Falls, about 1.5 miles distant. I sat and stood for awhile near the trail above the falls and encountered my first, and so far only, downy woodpecker. 

The white stripe on the back and the white spots on the wings give me comfort that it is a downy. I only have one identifier agreeing with this identification on iNaturalist. 

Illustration of a female from Birds of the World.

Illustration of a male from Birds of the World. 

Range from Birds of the World. 

I'm a little surprised to see their range in Southern California. They are pretty much limited to the coast and coastal mountains. Males are distinguished by a red nape bar which is lacking in females. There are seven subpspecies. I saw ssp. turati which is found in the Cascades in north-central Washington south to northern California and in coast ranges south to southern California. It is on the smaller end of ssp. and the size diminishes as it goes south.