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Home/Species/ Red-bellied Woodpecker

Melanerpes carolinus

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Red-bellied Woodpecker

G5Secure Found in 41 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101877
Element CodeABNYF04170
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPiciformes
FamilyPicidae
GenusMelanerpes
Other Common Names
Pic à ventre roux (FR) red-bellied woodpecker (EN)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Placed in genus Centurus by some authors (AOU 1983). Hybridizes with M. aurifrons in Texas and Oklahoma (Smith 1987, Dixon 1989). Appears to constitute a superspecies with M. aurifrons, M. hoffmannii, M. uropygialis, and M. superciliaris (AOU 1998).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-09
Change Date1996-12-02
Range Extent Comments
Resident from southeastern Minnesota east across southern Great Lakes region to southern New England, south to central Texas, Gulf Coast, and southern Florida. May withdraw in winter from higher elevations and northern edge of range (National Geographic Society 1983).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Open woodland (primarily deciduous, less frequently coniferous), second growth, riverine forest, swamps, parks, orchards, shade trees of towns.

Nests in hole usually less than 12 m up in live or dead tree, stump, utility pole, wooden building, bird box; may nest in same area or tree in successive years; may reuse hole from previous year, including deserted holes of other species. Starlings often take over completed holes.

Ecology

In Michigan, 7% of red-bellied woodpecker cavities were usurped by starlings (Ingold 1989). In Ohio, 39% of cavities were lost to starlings (Ingold 1994). Woodpeckers do not necessarily incur a reduction in fecundity because they may be able to renest successfully later in the season, though this is not without its problems (Ingold 1994).

Reproduction

In southeastern U.S., generally initiates nesting late March and early April (Ingold 1989). Clutch size is 3-8 (usually 4-5); probably 1 brood per year in north, 2 in south. Incubation 11-13 days, by both sexes. Young are tended by both parents, leave nest at 24-26 days, independent about 6 weeks later.
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedSuburban/orchard
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS3Yes
ManitobaS1Yes
OntarioS5Yes
United StatesN5B,N5N
ProvinceRankNative
VirginiaS5Yes
South DakotaS4Yes
MichiganS5Yes
PennsylvaniaS5BYes
NebraskaS4Yes
KentuckyS5Yes
IllinoisS5Yes
GeorgiaS5Yes
New JerseyS4B,S4NYes
TennesseeS5Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
Rhode IslandS2B,S2NYes
DelawareS5Yes
WisconsinS5BYes
OklahomaSNRYes
KansasS5Yes
MississippiS5Yes
LouisianaS5Yes
VermontS3Yes
MassachusettsS4Yes
South CarolinaS5Yes
West VirginiaS5B,S5NYes
ArkansasS5Yes
OhioS5Yes
ConnecticutS5Yes
District of ColumbiaS5Yes
New HampshireS2Yes
IowaS5BYes
MissouriSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
TexasS5BYes
North DakotaSUYes
MarylandS5Yes
IndianaS4Yes
North CarolinaS5Yes
ColoradoS4Yes
FloridaS4Yes
AlabamaS5Yes
Roadless Areas (41)
Alabama (1)
AreaForestAcres
Cheaha BTalladega National Forest741
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Little BlakelyOuachita National Forest3,342
Florida (2)
AreaForestAcres
Alexander Springs CreekOcala National Forest2,954
Clear LakeApalachicola National Forest5,592
Georgia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pearl PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest71,405
New Hampshire (1)
AreaForestAcres
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
North Carolina (10)
AreaForestAcres
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Big Indian (addition)Nantahala National Forest1,155
Craggy MountainPisgah National Forest2,657
Dobson KnobPisgah National Forest6,111
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Middle Prong AdditionPisgah National Forest1,852
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Tennessee (3)
AreaForestAcres
Big Laurel Branch AdditionCherokee National Forest5,577
Sampson Mountain AdditionCherokee National Forest3,064
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Texas (2)
AreaForestAcres
Big CreekNational Forests in Texas1,447
Little Lake CreekNational Forests in Texas596
Virginia (13)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Garden MountainJefferson National Forest3,960
Mill MountainGeorge Washington National Forest10,840
Mottesheard (VA)Jefferson National Forest2,596
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Patterson MountainJefferson National Forest4,865
Price MountainJefferson National Forest9,119
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
West Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Canaan LoopMonongahela National Forest7,867
Mottesheard (WV)Jefferson National Forest3,964
Wisconsin (1)
AreaForestAcres
09164 - Tea LakeChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest5,510
References (30)
  1. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th edition. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 877 pp.
  2. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in <i>The Auk</i>]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
  3. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). Banks, R.C., C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., J. A. Rising, and D. F. Stotz. 2003. Forty-fourth supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. The Auk 120(3):923-931.
  4. Belson, M. S. 1998. Red-headed Woodpecker (<i>Melanerpes erythrocephalus</i>) use of habitat at Wekiwa Springs State Park, Florida. M.Sc. thesis, Univ. of Cnetral Florida, Orlando.
  5. Bent, A.C. 1939d. Life histories of North American woodpeckers, U.S. Nat'l. Mus. Bull. 174. Washington, D.C.
  6. Crockett, A. B. 1975. Ecology and behavior of the Williamson's Sapsucker in Colorado. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Colorado, Boulder.
  7. Dixon, K. L. 1989. Contact zones of avian congeners on the southern Great Plains. Condor 91:15-22.
  8. Dixon, R. D. 1995a. Density, nest-site and roost-site characteristics, home-range, habitat-use, and behavior of white-headed woodpeckers. Deschutes and Winema National Forests, Oregon. Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Nongame Report 93-3-01.
  9. Dixon, R. D. 1995b. Ecology of White-headed woodpeckers in the central Oregon Cascades. M. Sc. thesis, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID.
  10. Dixon, R. D., and V. A. Saab. 2000. Black-backed Woodpecker (<i>Picoides arcticus</i>). No. 509 IN A. Poole and F. Gill, editors. The birds of North America. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 20pp.
  11. Edwards, H. H., and G. D. Schnell. 2000. Gila Woodpecker (<i>Melanerpes uropygialis</i>). No. 532 IN A. Poole and F. Gill, editors, The birds of North America. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 16pp.
  12. Goggans, R., R. D. Dixon and L. C. Seminara. 1988. Habitat use by Three-toed and Black-backed woodpeckers, Deschutes National Forest, Oregon. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife - Nongame Wildlife Program Report 87-3-02. 43pp.
  13. Harrison, C. 1978. A Field Guide to the Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds. Collins, Cleveland, Ohio.
  14. Harrison, H. H. 1979. A field guide to western birds' nests. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 279 pp.
  15. Husak, M. S. 1997. Seasonal variation in territorial behavior of the Golden-fronted Woodpecker. M.Sc. thesis, Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas.
  16. Ingold, D. J. 1989. Nesting phenology and competition for nest sites among red-headed and red-bellied woodpeckers and European starlings. Auk 106:209-217.
  17. Ingold, D.J. 1991. Nest-site fidelity in Red-headed and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Wilson Bulletin 103(1):118.
  18. Ingold, D. J. 1994. Influence of nest-site competition between European starlings and woodpeckers. Wilson Bull. 106:227-241.
  19. Kilham, L. 1983. Life history studies of woodpeckers of eastern North America. Nuttall Ornithol. Club Pub. No. 20. vii + 240 pp.
  20. Lawrence, L. deK. 1967. A comparative life-history study of four species of woodpeckers. Ornithological Monographs No. 5. 156 pages.
  21. Lisi, G. 1988. A field study of Black-backed Woodpeckers in Vermont. Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Nongame and Endangered Species Program, Technical Report 3.
  22. Miller, A. H., and C. E. Bock. 1972. Natural history of the Nuttall Woodpecker at the Hastings Reservation. Condor 74:284-294.
  23. Moskovits, D. 1978. Winter territorial and foraging behavior of Red-headed Woodpecker in Florida. Wilson Bulletin 90:521-535.
  24. National Geographic Society (NGS). 1983. Field guide to the birds of North America. National Geographic Society, Washington, DC.
  25. Short, L. L. 1982. Woodpeckers of the World. Museum of Natural History [Greenville, Delaware], Monograph Series xviii + 676 pp.
  26. Smith, J. I. 1987a. Evidence of hybridization between red-bellied and golden-fronted woodpeckers. Condor 89:377- 386.
  27. Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  28. Thomas, J. W., R. G. Anderson, C. Maser, and E. L. Bull. 1979. Snags. Pages 60-77 in J. W. Thomas (editor). Wildlife Habitats in Managed Forests: the Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington. U.S.D.A. Handbook 553.
  29. Venables, A., and M. W. Collopy. 1989. Seasonal foraging and habitat requirements of Red-headed Woodpeckers in north-central Florida. Florida Game Fresh Water Fish Comm. Nongame Wildlife Program Final Report Project no. GFC-84-006.
  30. Williams, J. B., and G. O. Batzli. 1979. Competition among bark-foraging birds in central Illinois: experimental evidence. Condor 81:122-132.