Red Bellied Woodpecker

Description:

Named for its light red stomach, the Red bellied Woodpecker is most easily identified by the red spot on the top of its head. It is a very attractive bird with a brightly barred black and white back that also stands out against dark backgrounds. 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. They will eat seeds, suet bird food, nuts, and berries and are common sights at backyard bird feeders. Their tastes include black-oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, pieces of dried fruit and suet. They will even store their food in the hollows of trees to eat later. Red bellied Woodpeckers can be seen hanging upside down to feed on berries found on bushes. Strangely enough, this woodpecker also eats tree frogs, small lizards, fish, nestlings, birds, and eggs.

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Nesting Habits:

This woodpecker nests in the holes it finds in dead trees and limbs. It will nest in manmade bird houses as long as it is of the proper bird house dimensions and mounted on a tree. It is extremely territorial and has been known to drag another woodpecker from a hole and kill it. Unfortunatly, the European Starling frequently drags Red-bellied Woodpeckers out of their own holes. These woodpeckers usually have 2-6 white eggs in a clutch and lay them on woodchips they have dug from the hole.

To attract a mate, these woodpeckers will tap not only on trees, but also on utility poles, house siding, metal roofs and even the occasional automobile. Overall, the Red bellied Woodpecker is a beautiful bird with many unique qualities.

More Information:

While the male Red-bellied Woodpecker can be identified by its brilliant red head and neck, the female has the red only on the nape of the neck and it does not extend into the forehead. The rest of the coloring is the same whether male or female. The bird's rump is white and quite easily spotted in flight. The underparts and face are light gray to whitish. The rest of the woodpecker (legs, feet, eyes and bill) is very dark in color. The black tail feathers are striking with white barring on mid and outer feathers.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers will make sounds like "kwirr", as well as "cha" noises. They have an unusual barbed tongue that can extend beyond their bill by 2-½ to 4 cm, which makes them more adept than any other species of woodpecker at getting insects out of trees. In addition, they have larger glands under their tongues than other woodpeckers and these glands excrete an unusually sticky saliva.

As for habitat, the Red bellied Woodpecker likes deciduous trees, whether in forests or suburban locations. They are not a migratory bird and can be found from Southern New England across New York, Minnesota and Wisconsin, south as far as the Gulf Coast and west into Eastern Texas and Colorado. In extremely cold winters, this bird may prefer to remain within the southern-most sections of this area. The Red-bellied Woodpecker is the most common woodpecker found in the Southwestern United States.

Please tell us about the Red-bellied Woodpeckers visiting your feeders.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers are one of the most interesting wild birds to visit our backyard feeders. Unfortunately not everyone gets to see them. If you are fortunate enough to see them in your yard please tell us about them.

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Red-bellied Woodpecker building nest in my treehouse!
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My name is Kelley Ramsey and I have a Red-bellied Woodpecker building a nest in my daughters tree house which we haven't quite finished as of yet....

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