Battling Woodpeckers

This post will have to be a two parter because there are too many pictures and these birds did this all in two parts. If you look closely at this first picture you will see two female downy woodpeckers. They are females because the lack of red on the back of their heads.

When I first saw them they were in the air fighting only about six feet off the ground, very low or about the height of an adult human. I wasn't sure if they really liked each other or were really angry at each other until I could find that red spot, or lack of red. The lack told me what they were up to.

In the picture the two birds still seemed to be staying close to each other and watching the other very warily.Each kept circling around their tree and trying to get into a good place to get an advantage over her opponent.

At one point they were both on the same tree. Look very close. At the time, I was sure the bird behind the tree here was a male because of the way she kept flapping her wings. I thought it wa a male making a mating display for his new girlfriend, but boy was I wrong. I guess this was more likely a display of aggression.

The bird in front was just trying to avoid the fury of the second bird. Here she is trying to look around and see what her attacker is doing. All of this happened about 6 paces in front of me. The pictures aren't the best only because the birds were moving so fast.

So what do you think? Let me know if you think I'm wrong? Maybe I just missed the red head of a male. maybe this really is a display of avian amour and not feathered fury. I've been wrong plenty of times before. but maybe I'm completely right.

More pictures of this fight are coming tomorrow.


Nature Center Magazine - Your starting place for nature!