General Information

The Red-bellied woodpecker is a medium-sized bird of the Picidae family.

Physical Description

The adults are mainly light grey on the face and underparts with black and white barred patterns on their back, wings and tail. Adult males have a red cap that goes from the bill to the nape, and females have a red patch on the nape and another above the bill. The reddish tinge on the belly gives the bird its name and is difficult to see in field identification. Both sexes are 9 to 10.5 inches long, and have a wingspan of 15 to 18 inches.

Diet

The Red-bellied woodpecker eats insects, fruits, vegetables, seeds, and sap from sapsucker drill wells.

Habitat

Their breeding habitat is usually in the deciduous forests of southern Canada and the northeastern United States, however, they range as far south as Florida and as far west as Texas. They nest in the decayed cavities of dead trees, old stumps, or in live trees that have softer wood such as elms, maples, or willows. Both sexes assist in digging the nesting cavities.

Reproduction

The Red-bellied woodpecker lays three to eight white eggs which are nestled in tree cavity built by both parents, or in the abandoned hole of other woodpeckers. Incubation ranges from 11 to 14 days and is carried out by both parents; the male at night and the female during the day.