Red Bellied Woodpecker

(melanerpes carolinus)

http://birds.cornell.edu/BOW/REWO/                                                                                   http://www.shawcreekbirdsupply.com/redbellied_woodpecker_info.htm

Taxonomy:

Species:  Melanerpes carolinus  

Genus: Melanerpes

Family: Picidae

Order: Piciformes

Habitat: densely wooded lowlands and bottomlands, open forests, can be found from sea level to altitudes of 3,000 feet. They prefer upper parts of dead trees, and Oak trees.

Distribution: Eastern Half of the U.S. and Southern Parts of Canada.

Identifying Characteristics:

Size: Medium sized woodpecker, 8.5-10.5" long

Appearance: Pale gray breast, throat, and belly. Black and white spotted wings and back. Black Tail.

Female: Red patch on neck, Gray patch on head and a red dot over its bill.

Male: A red patch from its neck to its bill.                 

Diet: Mostly nuts, berrys, corn, tree sap, seeds, and fruits, very few insects.

Facts: It takes only 7 to 10 days for a pair of red-bellied woodpeckers to carve a home in a dead tree.

No Migration

Distribution Map Of Red-Bellied Woodpeckers

Source:http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i4090id.html

Recording of Red-bellied Woodpecker    http://birds.cornell.edu/BOW/REWO/

Related site: Enature.com http://www.enature.com/fieldguide/showSpeciesGS.asp?sort=1&curGroupID=99&display=1&area=99&searchText=red+bellied+woodpecker&curPageNum=1&recnum=BD0429

Bibliography

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Sources:

Red Bellied Woodpecker

~Chipper Woods Bird Observatory, April 3, 2004 <http://www.wbu.com/chipperwoods/photos/redbel.htm>

~Cornell Lab of Ornithology, April 3, 2004 <http://birds.cornell.edu/BOW/REWO/>

~Shaw Creek Bird Supply, April 3, 2004 <http://www.shawcreekbirdsupply.com/redbellied_woodpecker_info.htm>

~USGS, April 3, 2004 <http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i4050id.html>