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Red-bellied Woodpecker

Melanerpes carolinusOrder: PICIFORMES Family: Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Codes: Common Name: RBWO Scientific Name: MELCAR ITIS Taxonomic No.: 178195
Least Concern
 
Red-bellied Woodpecker: The male Red-bellied Woodpecker has black and white barred upperparts and pale gray-brown underparts with a red wash on the belly. The head has a bright red crown and nape and the face is pale brown.
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Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips
Jelly Jar Jelly Feeder
The orange "blossum" replaces the lid of a jelly jar.
Attract Orioles with Fruit
Sliced orange secures easily to the center of the ring. Low cost.
Attract with Nectar
Hex shaped nectar feeds several Orioles. Nectar kept in fridge.
Charm and Attraction
Lovely copper umbrella keeps fruit cool and looks great.

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.

Topo Map: Tree-clinging-like Body


Listen to Call

Similar Sounding

Voice Text

"churr-churr", "querr-querr", "chuck-chuck-chuck"

Interesting Facts

 Red-bellied Woodpeckers are attracted to noises that resonate. The male will tap loudly on metal gutters, aluminum roofs and even vehicles to attract a mate.

 The male has a wider tongue tip and longer bill than the female, allowing him to reach deeper into crevices to find prey. Studies have shown the male forages on the tree trunk, while the female forages mostly on limbs.

 The European Starling will often evict the Red-bellied Woodpecker from its nest.

 A group of woodpeckers has many collective nouns, including a "descent", "drumming", and "gatling" of woodpeckers.


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Samira Belous

Splitbar
Range Map for Red-bellied Woodpecker

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Family Woodpecker (Picidae)_blue
Species Melanerpes carolinus
Length9 - 10.5 Inches
Wingspan16.5 Inches

Red-bellied Woodpecker

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.

● 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
Tree-clinging-like BodyX
UnderpartsX
Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.
UpperpartsX
Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.
BellyX
The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.
CrownX
The crown is the top part of the birds head.
FaceX
The front part of the head consisting of the bill, eyes, cheeks and chin.
NapeX
Also called the hindneck or collar, it is the back of the neck where the head joins the body.
RumpX
The area between the uppertail coverts and the back of the bird.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX