Hard-knock Life

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Melanerpes Carolinus

If you have the 2022 “Talk Birdie to Me” calendar, meet your February bird!

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Meet the red-headed that identifies as red-bellied. That’s right, the often misidentified “red-headed” woodpecker is actually the Red-bellied Woodpecker (RWBO). This Eastern Coast pecker sports a zebra-like feathered coat with a vibrant red mohawk (females have a gray crown).

RWBOs have at least three adaptations to accommodate their “hard-knock life” - tongues that curl around their cranium for added protection when drilling, a third eyelid (nictitating membrane) to shield their eyes from flying debris, and a specialized beak that helps reduce shock. So how fast does a woodpecker peck wood… about 20x per second. 🤯

I enjoyed observing this handsome dad as he fed the nestlings. If Red-bellied Woodpeckers are found in your region, you can attract them to your yard with suet, peanuts, sunflower seeds.

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