Red-bellied Woodpecker

Melanerpes carolinusOrder: PICIFORMESFamily: Woodpeckers (Picidae)

Breeding Location:

Forest edge, Forest

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Solitary nester

Breeding Population:

Common to fairly common

Egg Color:

White

Number of Eggs:

3 - 8

Incubation Days:

11 - 14

Egg Incubator:

Both sexes

Nest Material:

Lined with chips.

Migration:

Nonmigratory

Overview

Red-bellied Woodpecker: Medium woodpecker, black-and-white barred upperparts, pale gray-brown underparts with indistinct red wash on belly. Head has bright red crown and nape, pale brown face. White rump, white wing patches, and white-barred central tail feathers are visible in flight.

Range and Habitat

Red-bellied Woodpecker: Breeds from South Dakota, Great Lakes, and southern New England south to the Gulf Coast and Florida. Northernmost birds sometimes migrate south for winter. Inhabits open and swampy woodlands; comes into parks during migration and to feeders in winter.

Breeding and Nesting

Red-bellied Woodpecker: Three to eight white eggs are laid in tree cavity built by both parents, or in an abandoned hole of other woodpeckers. Incubation ranges from 11 to 14 days and is carried out by both parents (male at night, female during the day).

Foraging and Feeding

Red-bellied Woodpecker: Eats insects, fruits, vegetables, seeds, and sap from sapsucker drill wells.

Readily Eats

Suet, Sunflower Seed, Nuts, Sugar Water, Fruit

Vocalization

Red-bellied Woodpecker: Song is a quavering "churr-churr-churr", "querr-querr", or abrupt "chuck, chuck, chuck."

Similar Species

Red-bellied Woodpecker: Golden-fronted Woodpecker has black tail without white bars, yellow-orange nape, yellow patch at base of upper mandible, and indistinct yellow wash on belly.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

● Song: "churr-churr", "querr-querr", "chuck-chuck-chuck"

● Foraging & Feeding: Red-bellied Woodpecker: Eats insects, fruits, vegetables, seeds, and sap from sapsucker drill wells.

● Breeding & nesting: Red-bellied Woodpecker: Three to eight white eggs are laid in tree cavity built by both parents, or in an abandoned hole of other woodpeckers. Incubation ranges from 11 to 14 days and is carried out by both parents (male at night, female during the day).

● Similar species: Red-bellied Woodpecker: Golden-fronted Woodpecker has black tail without white bars, yellow-orange nape, yellow patch at base of upper mandible, and indistinct yellow wash on belly.

Flight Pattern

Undulating flight with fairly rapid wing beats interspersed with periods of roller-coaster flight with wings folded.

Red-bellied Woodpecker Breeding Male Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: Red-bellied Woodpecker: Breeds from South Dakota, Great Lakes, and southern New England south to the Gulf Coast and Florida. Northernmost birds sometimes migrate south for winter. Inhabits open and swampy woodlands; comes into parks during migration and to feeders in winter.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationCommon to fairly common

^MigrationNonmigratory

^Weight2.4 Ounces


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