Red-Headed Woodpecker

Welcome to this week’s Wildlife of the Week!

Our species this week is the Red-Headed Woodpecker

Melanerpes erythrocephalus

One of our most colorful woodpeckers, red-headed woodpeckers are found throughout most of the eastern United States and are present on the refuge year-round. Adult red-headed woodpeckers are tri-colored, with a black back and tail, a white belly and rump, a red head and neck, and white wing patches. Adult males and females have the same plumage. Juvenile birds have grayish-brown heads and backs that gradually turn red during the first winter.

These woodpeckers are adept at catching insects in the air, and they eat lots of acorns and beech nuts. Two-thirds of their diet consists of seeds, fruits, berries, and nuts. Unlike most species of woodpecker, red-headed woodpeckers keep their food in caches, stuffing food in tree cavities to stay well-fed throughout the year.

The species is in decline, largely due to habitat loss. They can occasionally be seen in wooded areas on the refuge. They prefer forest edges and wooded areas with scattered open clearings.

The red-headed woodpecker in the photo was spotted on Arrowhead Landing Road. (Photo by Tom Ress)