| The male Red-bellied Woodpecker has a red crown and is red on the back of the neck. There is a pinkish wash toward the bottom of the abdomen which is rarely visible in the field and is just barely visible in the photo to the left. The rest of the abdomen and face are buff colored and the back is barred black and white. The female is similarly plumed but the red patch does not extend to the crown.
The habitat consists of open and swampy woodlands over most of the eastern portion of the United States. They are more common in the south but are expanding their range to the north. During particularly harsh winters they will migrate from the northern most reaches of their breeding range.
The clutch consists of 4 or 5 white eggs laid in a tree cavity excavated mostly by the male near the edge of the woods. The eggs are incubated by both sexes for a period of about 12 to14 days. Both parents care for the young feeding them insects until they fledge the nest about 27 days after hatching. In the northern portion of their breeding range they tend to have only one brood but will have 2 or 3 further south.
This is a very beneficial bird, consuming large numbers of wood boring beetles as well as other insects. Their diet also includes, acorns, beech nuts, seeds, and fruits. They prefer to forage among deciduous trees but will also forage along the ground. Males tend to prefer larger branches than the female and thus avoid competing for food. Like some other woodpeckers, the Red-belly will store food. During the winter they consume mostly seeds and they are a frequent visitor to winter feeders
Length: 10 inches
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