Red-bellied Woodpecker

The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a common, medium-sized woodpecker of eastern North America, easily recognized by its finely barred black-and-white "zebra" back and pale grayish-tan face and underparts. Despite its name, the wash of red on the belly that gives the species its name is faint and often difficult to see in the field, making the head pattern a far more reliable identification feature.

Males show a bright red cap extending from the bill over the crown to the nape, while females have red restricted to the nape only, with a gray crown. Both sexes share the same barred back pattern and pale underparts.

This adaptable, vocal woodpecker has expanded its range northward in recent decades and is now a familiar and frequent visitor to backyard feeders across much of the eastern and central United States.

Key Field Marks

• Finely barred black-and-white "zebra" pattern on the back and wings
• Pale grayish-tan face and underparts with a faint pinkish wash on the belly (often hard to see)
• Males: red from bill to nape; females: red on nape only, gray crown
• White rump patch visible in flight

Similar Species

• Red-headed Woodpecker has an entirely solid crimson head (not just a cap or nape patch) and bold black-and-white body pattern without the fine barring, easily distinguished at a glance.
• Northern Flicker is brown and barred rather than black-and-white, with a very different overall plumage pattern.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers are widespread across the eastern and central United States, from the Great Lakes and New England south to Florida and west to the Great Plains, inhabiting deciduous and mixed woodlands, riparian corridors, parks, and suburban yards with mature trees. The species has been steadily expanding its range northward in recent decades.

This species is largely non-migratory, remaining resident on territory throughout the year.

Behavior

Red-bellied Woodpeckers forage actively on trunks and branches and are also comfortable visiting feeders, sometimes wedging nuts into bark crevices to cache for later use, a behavior shared with other Melanerpes woodpeckers.

Voice

The call is a rolling, churring "chrrr" or "kwirr," often given repeatedly and quite vocal for a woodpecker; both sexes also drum on resonant wood.

Feeding

The diet includes insects, spiders, nuts, seeds, and fruit, and the species readily visits feeders for suet, sunflower seeds, and peanuts; it also caches food in bark crevices for later retrieval.

Nesting & Breeding

Both parents excavate a nest cavity in a dead tree or limb, laying 4-5 eggs, with both sexes sharing incubation and feeding duties. Pairs often remain together on the same territory across years.