Red-bellied Woodpecker

The Red-bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus, is a medium-sized woodpecker of the Picidae family. It breeds in southern Canada and the northeastern United States, ranging as far south as Florida and as far west as Texas. Its common name is somewhat misleading, as the most prominent red part of its plumage is on the head; the Red-headed Woodpecker however is another species that is a rather close relative but looks entirely different.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus, is a medium-sized woodpecker of the Picidae family. It breeds in southern Canada and the northeastern United States, ranging as far south as Florida and as far west as Texas. Its common name is somewhat misleading, as the most prominent red part of its plumage is on the head; the Red-headed Woodpecker however is another species that is a rather close relative but looks entirely different. More

The Red-bellied Woodpeckers are pale, medium-sized woodpeckers common in forests of the East. Their strikingly barred backs and gleaming red caps make them an unforgettable sight – just resist the temptation to call it a Red-headed Woodpecker, a somewhat rarer species that's mostly black on the back with big white wing patches. Learn the Red-bellied's rolling call and you’ll notice these birds everywhere. More

Red-bellied woodpeckers are noisy birds, and have many varied calls. Calls have been described as sounding like churr-churr-churr or chuf-chuf-chuf with an alternating br-r-r-r-t sound. Males tend to call and drum more frequently than females, but both sexes call. Often, these woodpeckers "drum" to attract mates. They tap on aluminum roofs, metal guttering, hollow trees and even transformer boxes, in urban environments, to communicate with potential partners. More

The red-bellied woodpecker is sometimes called zebra-backed. Many feel this would be a better name than the one he does have. The red belly is hard to see when he is pressed against a tree trunk. We have managed to take some pictures showing this feature, as he often twists enough at the feeders to expose his belly. We see this woodpecker in early morning , when he enjoys peanut suet and peanut nuggets. More

Male red-bellied woodpeckers are medium sized birds that have red caps and hind necks, black and white barred backs and tails. Their belly feathers are off white with a reddish tinge. Females are similar to males but lack the red hind neck. Life History Red-bellied and other woodpeckers are important nest providers for many other species. More

The Red-bellied Woodpecker has a large range, estimated globally at 3,000,000 square kilometers. Native to North America and the Bahamas, this bird prefers forest, savanna, and wetland ecosystems, though it can reside on plantations or in rural and urban areas. The global population of this bird is estimated at 10,000,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of the Red-bellied Woodpecker is Least Concern. More

I see red-bellied woodpeckers every day in my Wisconsin backyard, but I only catch glimpses of their red bellies about twice a year. One of those times occurred a couple of years ago when a pair of these birds decided to nest in the basswood tree outside my window. The male and female were working together excavating a nesting cavity. I enjoyed watching them, the female with her red nape and the male with his red extending from nape to bill. More

The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a familiar year round resident of forests, parks and neighborhoods of the eastern half the United States and southern parts of Canada around the Great Lakes. It is a bird of densely wooded lowlands and bottomlands, open forests, and mesic habitats from sea level to altitudes of 3,000 feet (Winkler et al. 1995). In Texas, its range overlaps with the similar Golden-fronted Woodpecker, and hybrids have been reported (Pyle 1997). More

It's odd that the Red-bellied Woodpecker is named for its red belly when in truth the faint blush on its belly is rarely seen, but it is an easy bird to identify. The reddish blush on the back of the head and its zebra strips are distinct. The Red-bellied Woodpecker is the largest common woodpecker in the Eastern United States. This old growth forest dweller has adapted and can readily be seen in wooded parks and shady suburban yards. More

red-bellied woodpecker The drumming in early spring signals that the male Red-bellied Woodpecker is claiming territory and hopes to court a mate for a season of nesting and raising young to adulthood. Description - The male Red-bellied Woodpecker is about 9 inches in length with a wingspread of about 17 inches. He has bands of black and white on his back referred to as a "ladder back." The crown and nape of this bird is red. More

The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a medium to large-sized bird with a height of around 9 inches and a wingspan of 13-17 inches. They weigh in the range of 1.98-3.21 ounces. Diet: Red-bellied Woodpeckers eat quite a range of food-their favorite is any of the large number of insects that live on tree bark and leaves. The bird can also pluck insects out of the air. More

Red-bellied WoodpeckerThe red-bellied woodpecker has a light cream to pink chest and belly, barred black and white wings and back, reddish markings around its bill and a red crown. The male has red on the crown and on the nape of his neck. The female has red just on the nape of her neck. Range The red-bellied woodpecker can be found in most of the eastern United States, except for northern New England. More

Red-bellied Woodpecker, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Birds of America, 1917 Louis Agassiz Fuertes Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae Genus: Melanerpes Species: carolinus Gr. pikos woodpecker La. picus woodpecker Gr. Circe, mythological daughter of Helios, changed Picus, son of Saturn, into a woodpecker La. forma form, shape, kind Gr. melas black Gr. herpes a creeper La. More

The Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) is another specie of woodpecker that is omnivorous like that other specie, the Red-headed Woodpecker. In other words, they will eat practically anything such as seeds, nuts, seeds and insects catching them in flight. Like most woodpeckers they drum on metal gutters, aluminum roofs, transformer boxes, and hollow trees. This drumming is done, the experts believe, to attract mates. Or maybe they are just trying to be the next Ringo, of Beetle fame. More

The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a regular visitor to bird feeders and is easily identified by the black and white barred pattern on its back and the red patch on the back of the head. The name confuses many people because the "red" on the belly is faint and very difficult to see. In Tennessee it is often mistakenly called a Red-headed Woodpecker, especially in areas where the true Red-headed Woodpecker (a bird with a completely red head) is uncommon. More

Red-bellied Woodpecker on 60-FootTree TrunkRed-bellied Woodpecker on 60-FootTree Trunk Marie Thomas - copyright 2008 By its red head, of course. Certainly not by its pale little red belly for which the species was named. Another woodpecker whose range overlaps in much of their common territory already owned the name Red-headed Woodpecker for his completely red-hooded head. More

The red-bellied woodpecker does have bright red on its head, while the red on its belly is usually hidden from view. However, this woodpecker is one of the most common woodpeckers in the southeastern portion of the United States, and bird watchers and gardeners alike will enjoy stopping to marvel at the sight of these beautiful birds. The red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) grows to be about 10 inches. It has a black back, wings, and tail with small white stripes. More

as the Red-bellied Woodpecker, whose range overlaps somewhat with that of the red-headed woodpecker. While red-bellied woodpeckers have some bright red on the backs of their necks and heads, red-headed woodpeckers have a much deeper red that covers their entire heads and necks, as well as a different overall plumage pattern. They give a tchur-tchur call or drum on territory. More

The Red-Bellied Woodpecker can be identified by the red stripe that runs from the front of his head to his nape (like a mohawk) in males, and from the back of his head to his nape (like a mullet) in the females, but he is named for the red shade on his belly that is very difficult to see (except in the top picture!). The above is of the female. Very common in Iowa and the Midwest throughout the year. More

Red-bellied Woodpeckers and Their Young Use What Katrina Left - The only good thing that Hurricane Katrina did for Southeastern Louisiana was to leave plenty of broken trees in which the woodpeckers and other cavity nesting birds could raise their young. The Red-bellied Woodpeckers have been very prolific this year and we have photographed much of the day to day comings and goings of a family that nested in a Katrina snag near our house. More

Howell (1932) writes: "In Florida, red-bellied woodpeckers are found chiefly in hammocks, groves, and wet bottom-land timber, less commonly in the pine woods and the cypress swamps. . . . These woodpeckers are not particularly shy, and they often visit dooryards and orchards. More

Red-bellied Woodpecker ID TipsIdentification tips for the Red-bellied Woodpecker Range Maps: (Click map to enlarge.) Red-bellied Woodpecker Breeding Map Red-bellied Woodpecker Winter Map USGS Breeding Map Winter Map (CBC) Additional Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Photos, description, similar species, sound, range, habitat, food, behavior, reproduction, and conservation status. More

Red-bellied Woodpecker male has red crown, forehead and nape. Its upperparts are streaked black and white. We can see a reddish patch on ventral region. Face and belly are dull grey. Uppertail coverts are white. Central tail feathers are barred black and white. Red-bellied Woodpecker has a long, chisel-shaped bill. Bill and eyes are black. Legs and feet are dark grey. Feet are zygodactyls, with 2 toes forward and 2 backward. Female has only red nape and feathers above the bill. More

The Red-bellied woodpecker is often confused with the Red-headed woodpecker as the top of its head is pale red back to the nape of its neck. The color on the belly is actually more of a pale pinkish to orange and on the female quite small and often unnoticeable. The male also has a longer and wider bill than the female. More

Red-bellied Woodpeckers are known to live 20 years in the wild. They are known to "play"; flying and dodging among trees as if evading predators (also a learning technique). Red-bellies, previously a Southern species, have migrated north over the last hundred years and now reside as far north as Massachusetts and even further north. Although they are not a seasonal migratory bird, northern birds may move further South during very harsh winters. They will roost singly in cavities at night. More

* Red-Bellied Woodpecker at feeder0:14 * Ajouter à la file d'attente Ajoutée à la file d'attente Red-Bellied Woodpecker at feeder342 vuesglennb7341 * Red-bellied woodpecker at feeder2:05 * Ajouter à la file d'attente Ajoutée à la file d'attente Red-bellied woodpecker at feeder33 vuesminoumechant More

The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker. Adults are mainly light grey on the face and underparts; they have black and white barred patterns on their back, wings and tail. Adult males have a red cap going from the bill to the nape; females have a red patch on the nape and another above the bill. The red belly is difficult to view on a live bird. More