Thursday 29 August 2024

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)


OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Melanerpes carolinus (of Carolina)

Adult male Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) at McKee Marsh, Illinois - August 2024


Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 57-91gg  /  Length: 23-27cm  /  Wingspan: 38-46cm
NO UK STATUS IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A near endemic of the Continental US whose name is accurate but perhaps oddly chosen as though they do have a reddish belly, this isn't an easy field mark to actually get a decent view of at most angles. A fairly typical woodpecker behaviourally, they nest in tree hollows and feed primarily on invertibrates, and favours deadwood for searching for them.

Related Species:

Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Melanerpes
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 


 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES - Present throughout most of the Eastern states of the Lower 48
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen at McKee Marshes, Illinois

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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