Downy Woodpecker at Feeder

[TomTelford]

Hi all,  is this unusual?  A pair hung around the feeder for about 15 minutes this morning occassionally taking turns grabbing seeds and hopping off to perch and peck, much like the nuthatches.  It was weird watching them land on the feeder as they tried to hang off the side of the bars which have no grip at all.  Are they mimicking or actually feeding?

Tom.

[Halton Hills]

.

Pretty normal behaviour.

I've watched them repeatedly grab a seed and hop onto the tree next to the feeder.

They then scoot up the trunk to the exact same spot everytime and jam the seed into a crack in the bark and proceed to peck away.

I guess they can't hold it in their feet like the chickadees.   :wink:

They usually struggle with balance on a perch style feeder simply because there is no place to use their tail as a support prop.

.