I’ve been calling these guys, Red-headed Woodpeckers all my life. I just learned today that they are Red-bellied Woodpeckers. The Red-headed ones have a complete red head, not just a cap. This one was pecking on my vinyl siding every morning, about daybreak, when I lived in Alpharetta.
The Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) is a strikingly beautiful bird native to North America. Belonging to the Picidae family[1], which also includes other woodpecker species, they are predominantly found in the eastern United States, stretching from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast and as far west as Texas. Their preferred habitats include woodlands, forests, parks, and suburban areas with plenty of trees.
Red-bellied woodpeckers are 9 to 10.51 inches long, have a wingspan of 15 to 18 inches, and weigh 2.0 to 3.2 ounces. Red bellies are noisy and brash, typically dominating the feeder and scattering lesser birds. It consumes lots of tree mast such as beechnuts and acorns, all manner of insects, seeds, fruit, flower nectar, small lizards and snakes, amphibians — even fish. The birds are known to plunder from hardworking yellow-bellied sapsuckers, which drill rows of holes into trees. The resultant oozing sap is a staple food of the sapsucker. Red-bellied woodpeckers bully the smaller woodpeckers away from their well fields and lap up the syrup. Red-bellied woodpeckers are also nest robbers and have been recorded raiding the nests of many species of birds, including chickadees, wrens, and various warblers. The hapless nestlings are snapped up and eaten. They’ll also engage in egg theft, which probably occurs with regularity but is hard to witness.
This woodpecker species is easily identifiable by its vibrant plumage and distinct markings. Despite its name, the red belly of this bird is often concealed by its wings, making its most prominent feature its red cap and nape. The back and wings are adorned with black and white patterns, while the underparts are pale with a tinge of red. Juvenile Red-bellied Woodpeckers typically lack the red cap and have more muted colors overall.
In terms of vocalizations, Red-bellied Woodpeckers are known for their loud and varied calls. Their vocal repertoire includes a range of chattering, rolling, and nasal-sounding calls, often used for communication and territorial purposes. They also use drumming, a rapid series of pecks on resonant objects like trees,
to establish territory and attract mates. Behaviorally, these woodpeckers exhibit typical woodpecker traits such as climbing vertically up tree trunks and probing for insects beneath the bark. They have strong bills for drilling into wood and long, barbed tongues to extract their prey, which primarily consists of insects, seeds, nuts, fruits, and occasionally small vertebrates. Their foraging behavior is quite versatile, as they may glean insects from bark, probe for insects in crevices,
or even catch flying insects in mid-air. Breeding among Red-bellied Woodpeckers typically occurs from March to May. They excavate nesting cavities in dead trees or sometimes in wooden structures like fence posts or utility poles. Both parents take part in incubating the eggs and feeding the young. A clutch typically consists of 4-6 eggs, which hatch after about two weeks of incubation.
The chicks fledge after around three weeks and become independent shortly after. While they face threats from natural predators such as hawks, snakes, and mammals like raccoons and squirrels, Red-bellied Woodpeckers have adopted various strategies for avoiding predation,
including vigilant behavior and choosing nesting sites with good visibility and protection. In conclusion, the Red-bellied Woodpecker is a fascinating species with its striking appearance, diverse vocalizations, and adaptive behaviors. Its presence in North American ecosystems adds to the biodiversity of the region, and its role as a predator of insects helps maintain ecological balance in its habitat.
Footnotes
- The Picidae family, commonly known as woodpeckers, encompasses a diverse group of bird species characterized by their unique adaptations for feeding on wood. Members of this family are found worldwide, with the highest diversity in tropical regions. They are known for their specialized anatomy, including strong bills for drilling into wood, long, barbed tongues to extract prey, and stiff tail feathers for support during climbing. Woodpeckers play important ecological roles in their respective habitats, serving as predators of insects and larvae, excavators of nesting cavities that benefit other cavity-nesting species, and even influencing forest structure through their foraging activities. This family includes well-known species such as the Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, and Eurasian Green Woodpecker, among many others. [Back]
Further Reading
Sources
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). Red-bellied Woodpecker. Retrieved from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-bellied_Woodpecker/overview
- National Audubon Society. (n.d.). Red-bellied Woodpecker. Retrieved from https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/red-bellied-woodpecker
- All About Birds “Red-bellied Woodpecker” https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-bellied_Woodpecker/id
- Wikipedia “Red-bellied woodpecker” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-bellied_woodpecker
- The Columbus Dispatch “Red-bellied woodpecker both a bully and a thief” https://www.dispatch.com/story/lifestyle/home-garden/how-to/2014/06/28/red-bellied-woodpecker-both-bully/23950707007/
- Audubon “Red-headed Woodpecker” https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/red-headed-woodpecker
