Red-bellied Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
Description: A medium sized woodpecker, it closely resembles its relative, the Hairy Woodpecker. It is between eight and nine inches in height. It has a conspicuously white and black barred back. Despite the “red bellied” part of its name, in reality its underside is completely white. The only red section of the bird is its head. It has a vibrantly red cap that makes it clearly distinguishable from other woodpeckers. The cap on a male’s head is entirely red; the cap on a females head is broken with a patch of grey.
Habitat: The Red-bellied Woodpecker is confined to woodland forests, mainly on the eastern side of the United States. They range from southern Florida, through Connecticut and into part of Massachusetts. They prefer forests containing a plethora of hickory, oak, and pine trees, preferably with a river, or at least wetlands nearby. In recent years, however, they have become increasingly common to see at backyard feeders.
Diet: Like most birds, the Red-bellied Woodpecker eats nuts and fruits. Being a woodpecker however, they also enjoy insects. It will eat most arthropods that it can find, including, but not limited to, insects and spiders. Interestingly, the red bellied woodpecker has also been known to eat lizard, minnows, and even small birds.
Behaviors:
Miscellaneous:
Habitat: The Red-bellied Woodpecker is confined to woodland forests, mainly on the eastern side of the United States. They range from southern Florida, through Connecticut and into part of Massachusetts. They prefer forests containing a plethora of hickory, oak, and pine trees, preferably with a river, or at least wetlands nearby. In recent years, however, they have become increasingly common to see at backyard feeders.
Diet: Like most birds, the Red-bellied Woodpecker eats nuts and fruits. Being a woodpecker however, they also enjoy insects. It will eat most arthropods that it can find, including, but not limited to, insects and spiders. Interestingly, the red bellied woodpecker has also been known to eat lizard, minnows, and even small birds.
Behaviors:
- The male will try to attract a mate by hitting its beak against the tree to create a soft tapping noise
- When a female accepts, she will tap her beak in unison with hise, and help to finish the construction of the nest
- The Red-bellied Woodpecker does not necessarily make a new nest every year; a couple may live in the same nest for several years in a row
Miscellaneous:
- Selective pressures have resulted in the woodpecker having an extremely long tongue, that can stick out past the end of the beak in excess of two inches. This tongue can be pressed into small crevices in the bark or trees, where its barbed and sticky end easily grabs small insects.