Minnesota Seasons - Red-bellied Woodpecker

Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy

Conservation Status

Photo by Ramona Abrego

IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

NatureServe

N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding

SNR - Unranked

Minnesota

not listed


	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, and allies)
	Family	Picidae (woodpeckers)
	Subfamily	Picinae
	Genus	Melanerpes (Melanerpes Woodpeckers)

	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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	Luciearl






	Mitch Nielsen

	he came on our deck and took a pretzel twist



	Gregory Gilman




	Ramona Abrego






	Trisha




	Kirk Nelson

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




	MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Camera


	Slideshows


	Red-bellied Woodpecker Allen Chartier




	Red-bellied Woodpecker Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren




	Red-bellied Woodpecker JMC Nature Photos

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

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		This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location.



Luciearl 5/3/2021	Location: Cass County



Mitch Nielsen 2/26/2021	Location: Willmar, MN he came on our deck and took a pretzel twist



Gregory Gilman 5/30/2020	Location: Rochester, MN



Ramona Abrego	Location: Washington County



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



Luciearl 10/17/2018	Location: Cass County



debbiecat0420 3/24/2018	Location: Orono, Mn



Luciearl 2/18/2018	Location: Lake Shore, MN



Susan 1/9/2018	Location: Maple Grove, MN (Fish Lake) bird feeder



Trisha 12/9/2016



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



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