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Red-bellied Woodpecker

Melanerpes carolinus

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5 Comments

HeatherMiller
HeatherMiller 12 years ago

I love the Cornell Ornithology site. They have tons of info.

ScottRasmussen
ScottRasmussen 12 years ago

I guess they have a really varied diet. The Cornell Ornithology site has this to say about Red-belly eating habits: "Though this bird mainly eats insects, spiders, and other arthropods, it eats plenty of plant material, too. In particular, acorns, nuts, and pine cones, as well as seeds extracted from annual and perennial plants and (particularly in fall and winter) fruits ranging from grapes and hackberries to oranges and mangoes. Occasionally eats lizards, nestling birds, even minnows." Source: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/red-b...

HeatherMiller
HeatherMiller 12 years ago

They only come when the other birds have been at the feeders for a bit and left without a threat. Then he stayed for about 15 seconds, then stabbed food to his liking, and did not return for several hours. I saw him flying all over the canopy of my parents' creek backyard. It's been monsoon season the past few days and I've not heard the distinctive woodpecker sound...so I guess either the wood is wet, or the insects are out on the surface of the trunks. Or they are hungry enough to eat fruits?

ScottRasmussen
ScottRasmussen 12 years ago

It's funny, because I saw your pictures, then saw the woodpecker at my feeder. They're pretty common around here, but I don't see them at the feeder all that often. I didn't know they liked fruit; I'll have to try that at my feeder.

HeatherMiller
HeatherMiller 12 years ago
ScottRasmussen
Spotted by
ScottRasmussen

Massachusetts, USA

Spotted on Jul 17, 2011
Submitted on Jul 18, 2011

Spotted for Mission

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