Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

Special Segments Butterflies of North America Conifers of North America Eastern Birds List of N.A. Insects Home Eastern Wildflowers General Topics Natural History Ecology Family Environment Evolution Home Education Home Conservation Geophysics Paleontology Commercial Organizations

A Field Guide to Eastern Birds. by Roger Tory Peterson.

Return to Eastern Woodpeckers

Color Photograph: Copyright Corel Corp.

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

Identification: Length from tip of bill to tip of tail 10 inches.

Male: Crown and Nape of neck bright red. Side of head tan. Breast and belly white suffused with tan. Back and wings with a ladderlike pattern of black and white stripes.

Female: Similar to male, but red of the head restricted to the nape of the neck.

Similar Species:  The combination of the reddish top of the head, the tan breast and belly, and the black and white wings and back will easily separate this species from other eastern woodpeckers. However similar species including the Golden-fronted Woodpecker and the Gila Woodpecker are found in the western United States.

Breeding Range (see map below): The Red-bellied Woodpecker is resident throughout most of the eastern United States except for New England.

Overwintering Range:  See above.

Habitat: The Red-bellied Woodpecker is found in open woodlands or wooded swamps. During the non-breeding season it uses a greater variety of habitats including parks and suburban areas.

Food: Insects during the summer, but berries and nuts during the fall and winter.

Behavior: This species is most common in the southeastern United States, but is becoming more common in the north in recent years. The voice is a descending chuck-chuck-chuck.

Reproduction:  The clutch consists of 4 to 5 white eggs. The eggs are layed in a tree cavity without a nest.