Red-bellied Woodpecker

(Melanerpes carolinus)

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

NatureServe

N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding

SNR - Unranked

Minnesota

not listed

 
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Photo by Ramona Abrego
 
Description

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.

 

Size

9 to 10½ in length

16 wingspan

 

Voice

 

Similar Species

No similar species
Habitat

Mature deciduous woodlands, wooded residential areas

Ecology

Migration

 

 

Nesting

 

 

Food

Sometimes seen at bird feeders in the fall taking black oil sunflower seeds.

Distribution

Occurrence

Common year-round resident

 

Maps

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

Taxonomy

Class

Aves (birds)

Order

Piciformes (woodpeckers, barbets, toucans, and honeyguides)

Family

Picidae (woodpeckers)

Subfamily

Picinae

Genus

Melanerpes

   

Subordinate Taxa

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.

   

Synonyms

Centurus carolinus

Centurus carolinus carolinus

Centurus carolinus harpaceus

Centurus carolinus perplexus

Centurus carolinus zebra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visitor Photos
 

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Gregory Gilman

Red-bellied Woodpecker   Red-bellied Woodpecker

Luciearl

Red-bellied Woodpecker   Red-bellied Woodpecker
     
Red-bellied Woodpecker    

Mitch Nielsen

he came on our deck and took a pretzel twist

Red-bellied Woodpecker   Red-bellied Woodpecker

Ramona Abrego

Red-bellied Woodpecker   Red-bellied Woodpecker
     
Red-bellied Woodpecker   Red-bellied Woodpecker

Trisha

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Kirk Nelson

Female, at the feeders outside of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

Red-bellied Woodpecker   Red-bellied Woodpecker
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
   

 

   

 

 

Camera

 

Slideshows

Red-bellied Woodpecker
Allen Chartier

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker
JMC Nature Photos

Red-bellied Woodpecker

 

slideshow

Visitor Videos
 

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Other Videos

Red-bellied Woodpecker Family Affairs
Samuel Kulp

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.

Red-bellied Woodpecker
Jeff Bouton

About

Published on Jan 10, 2014

They really do have Red bellies!

Red-bellied Woodpecker Leaving Nest
WEGE33

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.

Red-bellied Woodpecker calling from his Nest ~ April 20, 2013 ( in HD )
my35Xvision

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:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-bellied_Woodpecker

Red bellied Woodpecker - February 6, 2014
Don Gagnon

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.

 

Camcorder

Visitor Sightings
 

Report a sighting of this bird.

 

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Gregory Gilman
3/2/2025

Location: NW Rochester MN

 

Red-bellied Woodpecker
Luciearl
5/3/2021

Location: Cass County

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Mitch Nielsen
2/26/2021

Location: Willmar, MN

he came on our deck and took a pretzel twist

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Gregory Gilman
5/30/2020

Location: Rochester, MN

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Ramona Abrego

Location: Washington County

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Paula
4/5/2019

Location: Fort Ripley Mn

 

Janders1955
2/19/2019

Location: St. Louis Park, MN

Backyard suet feeder

 

Ramona Abrego
10/27/2018

Location: Becker County

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Luciearl
10/17/2018

Location: Cass County

Red-bellied Woodpecker

debbiecat0420
3/24/2018

Location: Orono, Mn

 

Luciearl
2/18/2018

Location: Lake Shore, MN

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Susan
1/9/2018

Location: Maple Grove, MN (Fish Lake)

bird feeder

 

Trisha
12/9/2016

 

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Joan and Rick
10/15/2016

Location: Holyoke, MN (20 miles south of Duluth)

Seen on our suet feeders.

 

John & Susan
12/4/2015

Location: Louisville Twp. (Shakopee area)

Beautiful red naped/capped male came to bird feeders.

 

John Hanson
11/21/2015

Location: 5 miles south of Rochester, Mn

feeding on my suet feeders and black oiled sunflower seeds

Kirk Nelson
10/17/2015

Location: Bloomington, MN

Female, at the feeders outside of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

Red-bellied Woodpecker

MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

Avon Hills Forest SNA, North Unit

Big Woods Heritage Forest WMA

Blaine Preserve SNA

Blaine Wetland Sanctuary

Blue Devil Valley SNA

Boot Lake SNA

Bur Oak WMA

Burnsville, MN

Cannon River Trout Lily SNA

Cannon River Wilderness Area

Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center

Carver Park Reserve

Chamberlain Woods SNA

Cherry Grove Blind Valley SNA

Chimney Rock SNA

Clear Lake SNA

Cleary Lake Regional Park

Clinton Falls Dwarf Trout Lily SNA

Crosstown West Park

Crystal Spring SNA

Des Moines River SNA

Edward Velishek Memorial WMA

Frontenac State Park

Glacial Lakes Preserve

Great River Bluffs State Park

Grey Cloud Dunes SNA

Hampton Woods WMA

Hastings Sand Coulee SNA

Hastings SNA

Interstate State Park

John Murtaugh Memorial WMA

John Peter Hoffman Spring Brook Valley WMA

Joy Park

Kasota Prairie

Keller Regional Park

Kilen Woods State Park

King’s and Queen’s Bluff SNA

Lake Byllesby Regional Park

Lake Louise State Park

Lake Maria State Park

Lake Rebecca Park Reserve

Lakeville, MN

Lawrence Creek SNA

Lebanon Hills Regional Park

Maplewood State Park

Mary Schmidt Crawford Woods SNA

Minnesota Valley NWR, Chaska Unit

Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area, Lawrence Unit

Mississippi River County Park

Mound Prairie SNA

Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve

Myre-Big Island State Park

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Ney Nature Center

Pine Bend Bluffs SNA

Prairie Creek WMA, Koester Prairie Unit

Rice Lake State Park

Ritter Farm Park

River Terrace Prairie SNA

Robert Ney Memorial Park Reserve

Rockville County Park

St. Croix Savanna SNA

Savage Fen SNA

Seven Springs WMA

Seven Mile Creek County Park

Spring Lake Regional Park

Springbrook Nature Center

Stanley Eddy Memorial Park Reserve

Sunfish Lake Park

Terrace Oaks West

Townsend Woods SNA

Twin Lakes SNA

Upper Sioux Agency State Park

Vermillion Highlands Research Recreation and WMA

Westwood Hills Nature Center

Whitewater State Park

Whitney Island SNA

William O’Brien State Park

Wood-Rill SNA

Woodland Trails Regional Park

Zumbro Falls Woods SNA

 

 

Binoculars

 

Created: 6/26/2009

Last Updated:

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