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Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized, mostly black-and-white birds, with strong, sharply pointed bills for chiseling and digging into trees. They drill in search of food (insects and larvae) and to excavate nesting cavaties. As they climb up tree trunks they use their stiff tails as a brace. Their flight is undulating, with the wings folded against the body after each series of flaps. These climbers have strong feet, with two toes facing forward and two backward.
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Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
At-a-Glance
• Peak Breeding Activity: March-April
• Incubation: 12 days
• Clutch Size: 4-5 eggs
• Young Fledge: 24-27 days after hatching
• Typical Foods: fruits, nuts, seeds, berries, tree sap, and insects
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Description
The red-bellied woodpecker has a patch of red on the lower abdomen that is relatively small and very difficult to see at any distance. This robin-sized bird has a pale buffy-gray breast and black-and-white striped wings and back. On the male, the entire top of the head and neck is red, while the female is only red on the nape of the neck or back of the head.
Habitat and Habits
Found in forests, woodlots, and parks, the red-bellied is an uncommon permanent resident. This woodpecker, like the others, is beneficial because of the tremendous number of insects and larvae it consumes. It also eats nuts and berries. The call is a churr or a chaww.
Reproduction and Care of the Young
The nest, containing four to five white eggs, is in a tree cavity. Both parents feed the young. |
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