Red-bellied Woodpecker – 5/13/16

Observer: Paul Lauenstein

Observation Date: 5/13/16

Observation Time: 9:35 a.m.

Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary

Common Name: Red-bellied Woodpecker

Scientific Name: Melanerpes carolinus

Comments: Primarily a bird of the southeast, where its rolling calls are familiar sounds in swamps and riverside woods. Omnivorous and adaptable, this woodpecker has also adjusted to life in suburbs and city parks, and in recent years it has been expanding its range to the north. Despite the name, the faint traces of red on the belly are not often visible in the field.

Red-bellied woodpeckers are often victims of European starlings. As many as half of all red-bellied woodpecker nests in some areas get invaded by starlings.

More Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”