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Bird

Downy Woodpecker

Picoides pubescens

Lives in Arkansas all year and nests here. Found in all 75 counties, across 11 habitats.

Here
All year
Nesting
Nests here
Range
All 75 counties
Habitats
11

At a glance

Group
Birds
Here
All year
Nesting
Nests here
Range
All 75 counties
Habitats
11
Habitat models
Year-round

Where it lives

The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.

Habitats in Arkansas 11

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 11

Swamps

The Land of Evangeline
Year-roundWest Gulf Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall; Central Interior and Appalachian Swamp Systems; Lower Mississippi River Bottomland Depressions - Forest Modifier; Mississippi River Bottomland DepressionJoseph Rusling Meeker, The Land of Evangeline (1874): moss-hung trees over a still bayou in Louisiana swamp forest. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Shown: Louisiana bayou country (Meeker, The Land of Evangeline, 1874), a neighboring state.The Land of Evangeline, Joseph Rusling Meeker, 1874. Public domain. Source record.

Dry forests and woodlands

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.

Year-roundOzark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland; Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland; Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Woodland

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

Year-roundSouth-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier; Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems; Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; Mississippi River Riparian Forest; Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest; West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest; West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest; Red River Large Floodplain Forest; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian; Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain; Ozark-Ouachita Riparian

Forest edges and thickets

Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.

Year-roundDisturbed/Successional - Shrub Regeneration; Harvested Forest - Shrub Regeneration

Glades, barrens and outcrops on limestone

Open, thin-soil openings and rock on limestone, dolomite or other lime-rich rock, including cedar glades.

Year-roundCentral Interior Highlands Calcareous Glade and Barrens

Granite and other acidic rock outcrops

Bare or thin-soil rock on granite, gneiss, sandstone, quartzite and similar acidic rock, including granite flatrocks and domes.

Year-roundCentral Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens

Hardwood and oak flatwoods

Flat, poorly drained uplands and terraces with oaks, sweetgum and sometimes loblolly pine, wet in winter and dry in summer, but neither a floodplain nor a swamp.

Year-roundWest Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Flatwoods; Lower Mississippi River Flatwoods; West Gulf Coastal Plain Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Flatwoods

Moderately dry forests

Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.

Year-roundOzark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Dry-Mesic Loess Slope Forest

Moist forests

Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.

Year-roundSouthern Crowley's Ridge Mesic Loess Slope Forest; West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest; Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

Year-roundCentral Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian

Tree plantations and managed pine

Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.

Year-roundDeciduous Plantation; Evergreen Plantation or Managed Pine; Managed Tree Plantation
Other habitats in its models (146)

Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Arkansas. Those recorded in Arkansas first, the rest by region.

In Arkansas 7

  • Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Year-round.
  • Northern Crowley's Ridge Sand Forest Year-round.
  • Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Nepheline Syenite Glade Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Sandhill Oak and Shortleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Year-round.
Elsewhere in the South (71)
  • Appalachian Shale Barrens Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Maritime Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Year-round.
  • Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest Year-round.
  • Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Year-round.
  • Central Florida Pine Flatwoods Year-round.
  • Cumberland Riverscour Year-round.
  • Cumberland Sandstone Glade and Barrens Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Limestone Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Bluff Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loblolly-Hardwood Flatwoods Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loess Bluff Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Mesic Slope Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Tidal Wooded Swamp Year-round.
  • East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Year-round.
  • East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Year-round.
  • Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland Year-round.
  • Mississippi Delta Maritime Forest Year-round.
  • Nashville Basin Limestone Glade Year-round.
  • Ridge and Valley Calcareous Valley Bottom Glade and Woodland Year-round.
  • South Florida Bayhead Swamp Year-round.
  • South Florida Cypress Dome Year-round.
  • South Florida Dwarf Cypress Savanna Year-round.
  • South Florida Hardwood Hammock Year-round.
  • South Florida Pine Flatwoods Year-round.
  • South Florida Pine Rockland Year-round.
  • South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Year-round.
  • South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest Year-round.
  • Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Year-round.
  • Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Year-round.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Year-round.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest Year-round.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Appalachian Low Mountain Pine Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock Year-round.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp Year-round.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Cypress Dome Year-round.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Oak Dome and Hammock Year-round.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Year-round.
  • Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Year-round.
  • Southwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Chenier and Upper Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Year-round.
  • Western Great Plains Mesquite Woodland and Shrubland Year-round.
Northeast (10)
  • Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Appalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Year-round.
  • Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest Year-round.
  • Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Year-round.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
  • Northeastern Interior Pine Barrens Year-round.
  • Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Year-round.
Midwest (7)
  • North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Oak Savanna Year-round.
  • North-Central Oak Barrens Year-round.
  • Western Great Plains Wooded Draw and Ravine Year-round.
Land cover and other classes (51)
  • Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Hardwood Year-round.
  • Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-Line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall Year-round.
  • Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier Year-round.
  • Developed, Low Intensity Year-round.
  • Developed, Medium Intensity Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Woodland Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Plain Dry Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Prairie and Woodland Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest - Offsite Pine Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Juniper Modifier Year-round.
  • Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Year-round.
  • Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
  • Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Year-round.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Treed Year-round.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Year-round.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric Year-round.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Bay/Gum Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Taxodium Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Year-round.
  • Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Year-round.
  • Tamaulipan Riparian Systems Year-round.
  • Western Great Plains Floodplain Systems Year-round.

All habitats

Seasons in Arkansas

  • Year-round: nests here, in all 75 counties.

Food plants

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Plants matched by genus.

Native plants in these genera 30

Plant genera in its diet records (7)
  • Arbutus 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Arkansas
  • Helianthus 1 diet record. 15 native plants in Arkansas
  • Sambucus Fruit. 1 diet record. 1 native plant in Arkansas
  • Toxicodendron Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in Arkansas
  • Triticum 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Arkansas
  • Vitis 1 diet record. 12 native plants in Arkansas
  • Zea 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Arkansas

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Also found in its main habitats

Its main habitats in Arkansas, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.

Downy Woodpecker uses many habitats in Arkansas; these are its 3 most characteristic.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Birds 98

Plants 313

All of floodplain and bottomland forests in Arkansas

Swamps

Birds 80

Plants 223

All of swamps in Arkansas

Dry forests and woodlands

Birds 37

Plants 152

All of dry forests and woodlands in Arkansas

USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models.

Sources