(#1) Female, Downy Woodpecker, Barber Pools, Boise, Ada County, ID (Picoides pubscens leucurus) This is the subspecies that occurs in Idaho, although Burleigh (Birds of Idaho, 1972) coins P.p.parvirostris for this pictured bird which occurs throughout most of the state except the extreme eastern edge. It is characterized by the jet black upper parts, with a limited amount of spotting on the wings. Also, the bill shorter and more slender than other ssp. Birds from extreme eastern Idaho have more spotting on the wing feathers, the black in the outer rectrices is reduced, and the dorsal white is also not as "pure" or bright Also note that the white of the underparts is the same as that of the back. The AOU considers these one ssp. with clinal differences, although the extremes of their ranges from west to east in ID are morphologically easily discerned.
(#2) Female, Downy Woodpecker, 27 February, 2008, Barber Pools, Boise, Ada County, ID (see caption note for photo #1)
