Red-bellied Woodpecker
(Melanerpes carolinus)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding SNR - Unranked |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Description |
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The male has a red cap extending from the bill to the nape of the neck. The female has a red patch on the nape, a small red patch above the bill, and a gray cap. |
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Size |
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9″ to 10½″ in length 16″ wingspan |
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Voice |
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Similar Species |
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| No similar species | ||
Habitat |
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Mature deciduous woodlands, wooded residential areas |
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Biology |
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Migration |
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Nesting |
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Food |
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Sometimes seen at bird feeders in the fall taking black oil sunflower seeds. |
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Distribution |
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Occurrence |
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Common year-round resident |
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Maps |
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The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map |
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Taxonomy |
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| Class | Aves (birds) | ||
Order |
Piciformes (woodpeckers and relatives) | ||
Family |
Picidae (woodpeckers) | ||
Subfamily |
Picinae | ||
Genus |
Melanerpes (Melanerpes Woodpeckers) | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
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No subspecies are currently recognized, although it is widely agreed that more study is needed. Some authorities recognize four subspecies. Under tthis classification, only Western Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus zebra) has a range extending into Minnesota. |
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Synonyms |
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Centurus carolinus Centurus carolinus carolinus Centurus carolinus harpaceus Centurus carolinus perplexus Centurus carolinus zebra |
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Visitor Photos |
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Share your photo of this bird. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption. |
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Luciearl |
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Mitch Nielsen |
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he came on our deck and took a pretzel twist |
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Gregory Gilman |
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Ramona Abrego |
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Trisha |
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Kirk Nelson |
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Female, at the feeders outside of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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| Red-bellied Woodpecker Allen Chartier |
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| Red-bellied Woodpecker Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren |
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| Red-bellied Woodpecker JMC Nature Photos |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this bird. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. |
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Other Videos |
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| Red-bellied Woodpecker Family Affairs Samuel Kulp |
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About
Published on Oct 8, 2012 A documentary of a pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers building their nest, feeding the young, and some fledgling behavior after leaving the nest. |
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| Red-bellied Woodpecker Jeff Bouton |
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About
Published on Jan 10, 2014 They really do have Red bellies! |
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| Red-bellied Woodpecker Leaving Nest WEGE33 |
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About
Uploaded on Aug 23, 2011 This video was recorded in Eastern Massachusetts in late May. The adults are making frequent food deliveries to the nestlings who are near fledging. The caterpillars of an invasive moth that is doing major damage to our woodlands accounted for most of their diet during this period. The video was shot with a Canon EOS 7d and 600mm f4L Canon lens and is best viewed in full HD. |
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| Red-bellied Woodpecker calling from his Nest ~ April 20, 2013 ( in HD ) my35Xvision |
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About
Published on May 26, 2013 Red-bellied Woodpecker calling from his Nest ~ April 20, 2013 http://www.youtube.com/user/my35Xvision -- back to my channel Filmed by my35Xvision in Duke Island Park on 4/20 2013 Red-bellied Woodpecker: |
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| Red bellied Woodpecker - February 6, 2014 Don Gagnon |
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About
Published on Feb 6, 2014 Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), Wilderness Garden, Gagnon Wildlife Habitat, Pottersville, Somerset, Massachusetts, Thursday morning, February 6, 2014, 7:00 AM - Canon PowerShot SX50 HS MVI_72598; 1:14 min. |
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Visitor Sightings |
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Report a sighting of this bird. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
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| Luciearl 5/3/2021 |
Location: Cass County |
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| Mitch Nielsen 2/26/2021 |
Location: Willmar, MN he came on our deck and took a pretzel twist |
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| Gregory Gilman 5/30/2020 |
Location: Rochester, MN |
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| Ramona Abrego | Location: Washington County |
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| Paula 4/5/2019 |
Location: Fort Ripley Mn |
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| Janders1955 2/19/2019 |
Location: St. Louis Park, MN Backyard suet feeder |
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| Ramona Abrego 10/27/2018 |
Location: Becker County |
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| Luciearl 10/17/2018 |
Location: Cass County |
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| debbiecat0420 3/24/2018 |
Location: Orono, Mn |
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| Luciearl 2/18/2018 |
Location: Lake Shore, MN |
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| Susan 1/9/2018 |
Location: Maple Grove, MN (Fish Lake) bird feeder |
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| Trisha 12/9/2016 |
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| Joan and Rick 10/15/2016 |
Location: Holyoke, MN (20 miles south of Duluth) Seen on our suet feeders. |
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| John & Susan 12/4/2015 |
Location: Louisville Twp. (Shakopee area) Beautiful red naped/capped male came to bird feeders. |
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| John Hanson 11/21/2015 |
Location: 5 miles south of Rochester, Mn feeding on my suet feeders and black oiled sunflower seeds |
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| Kirk Nelson 10/17/2015 |
Location: Bloomington, MN Female, at the feeders outside of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Avon Hills Forest SNA, North Unit Burnsville, MN Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center Clinton Falls Dwarf Trout Lily SNA Lakeville, MN Mary Schmidt Crawford Woods SNA Minnesota Valley NWR, Chaska Unit Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area, Lawrence Unit Nerstrand Big Woods State Park Prairie Creek WMA, Koester Prairie Unit Robert Ney Memorial Park Reserve Stanley Eddy Memorial Park Reserve |
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