Melanerpes carolinus
The Red-bellied Woodpecker, *Melanerpes carolinus*, is a medium-sized woodpecker, measuring about 22.5-26.7 cm (9-10.5 inches) in length with a wingspan of 40-46 cm (16-18 inches) and weighing 56-91 g (2-3.2 oz). Despite its name, the eponymous red belly is often difficult to observe, appearing as a faint reddish wash on the pale underparts, and is not a primary field mark. Instead, its most distinctive features are the finely barred black-and-white 'ladder-back' pattern on its back and wings...
Primarily found in deciduous and mixed deciduous-coniferous forests, often favoring mature woodlands, riparian areas, and increasingly, suburban parks and backyards. Typically found at low to mid-elevations.
An omnivorous species, its diet consists primarily of insects (especially beetles, ants, and grasshoppers), spiders, acorns, nuts, fruits, berries, and seeds. They also consume tree sap and occasionally small vertebrates like lizards and frogs, and will readily visit bird feeders for suet and pea...
Red-bellied Woodpeckers are diurnal, spending their days actively foraging and communicating, often roosting individually in excavated tree cavities at night. Their foraging strategies are diverse, including gleaning insects from bark crevices, probing into wood, and frequently catching insects i...
The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a widespread resident across the eastern and southeastern United States, extending northward into southern Canada and westward into the Great Plains. Its primary breeding range encompasses states from Florida north to southern New England and westward through Ohio, I...
Least Concern
- Despite its name, the 'red belly' is a faint wash of pinkish-red on the lower abdomen and is rarely visible in the field; the red on the head is far more prominent. - This woodpecker has an incredibly long, barbed tongue that can extend up to two inches beyond its beak, perfect for extracting i...