This morning, I’m sharing photos of an adult male Downy Woodpecker on a gravel road at Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Osage County, Oklahoma.
You might wonder what the woodpecker was doing on the road—I’ll get to that shortly. First, a little information about the area of the preserve where I photographed the Downy Woodpecker.
The visitor center of the preserve is nearby, and the area adjacent to the road on both sides of the woodpecker is a small Cross Timbers forest. In that spot, it’s more of a grove than a forest, really.
Downy Woodpecker eating a tree nut at Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve – Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1/3200, ISO 1600, +0.7 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light
The woodpecker is feeding on what appears to be walnuts or some other type of tree nut growing in the grove. As vehicles drive over the nuts, their thick shells crack, providing a food supply for the woodpeckers and other birds.
The tree nut is in front of the woodpecker in my photos. In the image above, the Downy is swallowing part of the nut.
Male Downy Woodpecker on a gravel road at Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve – Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1/3200, ISO 1600, +0.7 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light
Every time Steve Creek and I passed this area, there was at least one Downy Woodpecker in the gravel, feeding on nuts.
Downy Woodpeckers are small woodpeckers that eat tree nuts, insects, seeds, acorns, fruits, berries, peanuts, and suet.
These woodpeckers are nonmigratory and are found throughout most of North America and into Central America. I adore watching and photographing Downy Woodpeckers wherever I find them, including along gravel roads.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Downy Woodpecker photos plus facts and information about this species.
I am tickled that our presence makes a good source more accessible rather than less which is so often the norm.
They are among the most industrious of birds. I adore them.