Red-headed Woodpecker

Overview

The red-headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) is a mid-sized woodpecker found in temperate North America. It is rated as least concern on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species after being down-listed from near threatened in 2018.

Identification

• Distinctly tricoloured plumage featuring a black back and tail, white belly and rump, and a red head and neck.
• Wings are black with white secondary remiges, while juveniles possess similar markings but have grey heads.
• Adults measure 19 to 25 cm in length with a wingspan of 42.5 cm.
• Produces a tchur-tchur call or drums on its territory.

Habitat

Breeding habitat consists of open country across southern Canada and the east-central United States, with most of its range comprising areas heavily altered by humans. Northern birds migrate to southern parts of the range to overwinter by late October, though overwintering ranges have shifted further north due to global warming.

Diet

Omnivorous, consuming insects, seeds, fruits, berries, nuts, and occasionally small rodents or eggs of other birds, with plants making up about two-thirds of its diet. They forage by keeping food caches, stuffing items into tree cavities, crevices, and under tree bark to maintain a supply throughout the year.

Did you know?

These birds are highly territorial and have been known to destroy the nests and eggs of other birds within their territory. They also share the rare behaviour of caching food with only three other woodpecker species: the acorn, downy, and red-bellied woodpeckers.