common name-Red-Bellied Woodpecker

scientific name-Melanerpes carolinus

Presented by Noah D. Kahn

photo courtesy of Dan Sudia

Higher Taxa

Identification Guide

Diagnostic features

Lester Short, in 1982, wrote that M. carolinus was "grayish below, barred black and white above with whitish rump, white in central and outer tail feathers, a red nape, red to pink nasal tuft, and orange to red abdominal patch. Male with red top of head (usually connecting nasal tufts with nape). White wing patch, chordate-barred sides of abdomen and undertail area." The bill is long and slightly curved with a small chisel-tip. The male bird is roughly 9 percent heavier than the female, and the bill 8-10 percent longer. One distinguishing feature between the sexes is the lack of red on the female's crown. Adult eyes are dark red to reddish brown, and immature birds have brown eyes with less feather coloration as well. Legs and feet of the Red-Bellied are gray or greenish-gray and the bill is always black.

Range Distribution

-M. carolinus' range is quite impressive for a single species. Its territories include southern Canada (Ontario), most North Atlantic states, nearly all the Eastern landlocked states, to southern Florida, and over to Western Texas. It prefers hardwood forests that remain moist, but not wet. Red-Bellies are usually found below 2000 feet of elevation, but do extend their boundaries to 3000 feet along the Appalachian Mountains. (Short, 1982)

Foraging Habits

-Red-Bellied woodpeckers have variable feeding methods including picking fruit, probing, tapping, excavating, and flycatching. They are omnivorous, and consume quite a variety of plants and animals. Various insects, including ants, grasshoppers, flies, spiders, small amphibians and reptiles, and the eggs of small birds make up half of their diet in the springtime. During the other seasons; however, they prefer plantlife, including seeds, nuts, and fruit. A special delicacy for the Red-Bellied is corn, whether in a corn field, or dried and stored.

Breeding

-For these active woodpeckers, the breeding season begins in January and February and continues until late March through August. In fact, southern birds may even raise two or three broods. The nest, first excavated by the male, is nearly always placed in the dead stub of a live tree. The nesting cavity is 9 to 12 inches deep and 3 to 5 inches wide, containing three to eight eggs (but usually four or five eggs). Incubation periods are twelve days, after which the babies peck their way out of the egg with their eggtooth. Once born, the parents continue to show their young much attention.

Terms to Indicate Relative Abundance

  • Accidental- 1 to 4 times in 50 years
  • Occasional- 5 to 10 times in 50 years
  • Rare- more than 10 times in 50 years, but not more than 3 times per year
  • Uncommon- occurs more than 35 times per year
  • Common- occurs more than 40 times in a 10 day period
  • Abundant- expected to occur in large numbers

    Table I: North American Distribution of Melanerpes carolinus

    Picoides pubescens

    AREA STATUS REFERENCES
    North America:
    Continental United States; Canada    		 Yes Short,1982
    Eastern North America:
    United States east of Mississippi;
    Ontario and eastern Canada    		 Yes Short, 1982
    Southeastern United States:
    AL AR DE DC FL GA KY MD NC SC TN VA WV    		 Yes Nicholson, 1997
    Southern Appalachian States:
    AL GA KY MD NC SC TN VA WV    		 Yes Nicholson,1997
    Coastal Plain common Short, 1982;
    Piedmont common Short,1982;
    Blue Ridge Mountains abundant Nicholson, 1997
    Great Smoky Mountains National Park abundant Nicholson,1997
    Ridge and Valley common Nicholson, 1997
    Cumberland Plateau uncommon Nicholson, 1997
    Central Arch uncommon -
    Georgia Abundant Short,1982
    Clarke County, Georgia Yes Noah Kahn, pers. guess
    Sams Farm Probably Noah Kahn, Pers. Guess
    Old Field Probably Noah Kahn, Pers. Guess
    Wetland Probably not Noah Kahn, Pers. Guess
    Wood Probably Noah Kahn, Pers. Guess
    1-Hectare Plot Probably Noah Kahn, Pers. Guess.

    How to Encounter

    -M. carolinus makes its habitat in deciduous forests and wet forests, prefering oaks, gums, and other hardwoods. Other favorite areas include cultivated areas near woods, and riverine woodlands in the Great Plains. It is found less commonly in pine forests, swamps, and cypress.

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