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Hey, I Don’t See Any Red On The Belly Of That Red-bellied WoodpeckerYes, the red-bellied woodpecker belly is covered in a light red color, but it’s difficult to see. He’s more readily identifiable by the red on the top and back of his head.It is a medium sized bird, averaging from 8 ½ to 10 inches tall. You can distinguish it from the red-headed by the black and white ladder pattern on its back (a red-headed woodpecker is solid black and white with an entirely red head). This is a great bird to have in your yard! Think pest control—here’s a list of what he’ll eat:
Attracting
It’s relatively easy to attract this bird. He will visit:
He'll eat from tray feeders (pictured at right) and suet feeders, suet feeders. including the upside down suet feeder. As with many other birds, sometimes attracting this bird is merely a waiting game. Bird watching is all about patience, and if you have trees, you will eventually see the bird. It may be tomorrow, or it may be next year.
You can increase your chances of both inviting him in and keeping him around if you put up a
nesting box!
NestingBoth the male and female red-bellied woodpecker construct the nest. They may make a hole in a tree or use a nest box. At times, the red-bellied woodpecker will compete vigorously with other cavity nesters. There are documented cases of this bird physically evicting other woodpeckers from a hole. However, starlings often evict the red-bellied woodpecker. If the pair was partial to that tree, they will just start work on another hole. Year after year, they will make more cavities to nest in, in the same tree.
The female will lay four or five white eggs once per year. The male incubates during the night hours and the female will incubate during the day, while the male brings her food. The eggs will hatch between 12 and 14 days, and both parents will then bring them regurgitated insects for 25 days until the chicks fledge.
RangeThe bird can be found throughout the eastern United States, from New York to eastern Texas. They don’t usually migrate, unless winters are extremely harsh and food is limited.During warmer months, the bird will stash nuts in tree crevices and fence posts in preparation for the long winter months.
There's no sight quite like a red-bellied woodpecker. If you're trying to attract him, be patient. If you have trees, eventually one will appear and I guarantee you'll smile!
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