Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Red-bellied Woodpecker

The Red-bellied Woodpecker is common in mature deciduous forest of most of the eastern part of the US, but that turns to mixed pine forests in the south.  The range is moving north, as many other species are, where it responds to bird feeders more often.

churrrr-churrrrr-churrrr!

This woodpecker has a red nape and a rarely visible red wash on the belly, which is odd that it would be named after that minor characteristic.  It is more well known for zebra like stripes across its back and the scarlet red nape, with the male's full red cowl.  The zebra woodpecker is well constructed with a chisel shaped bill and barbed tongue, which serves it well at extricating its favorite insects from trees.  If it finds small fish, nestlings, eggs, fruit, nuts or mice, it will eat them, too.  Its food pleasures are unlimited, even down to other species' nestlings, lizards, and acorns.

                                                    Adult Male Red-bellied Woodpecker
                                                             Boomer Lake Park, 2016

The European Starling will watch from other trees as well as from the cavity tree and take the finished hollow away from the zebra-backs that have spent days on excavating it.  Then they will quietly go about constructing another hole in the same tree, either above or below the original, when they find that they are unable to take their first orifice back.

The tongue can extend two inches from the bill in order to extract insects from their hiding places in cracks within tree bark.  They prefer snags or dying trees for both foraging and nesting.  They opt for eating the emerald ash borer if they can get it, but also rely heavily on beetles and other boring insects.

                                                      Female Red-bellied Woodpecker
                                                                Boomer Creek, 2016

Woodpeckers in general provide nest holes for several other species that need an abandoned cavity.  This includes the Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, wrens, and Eastern Bluebirds.  Not only do they use trees, but they will also make cavities in telephone poles or fenceposts.  Sometimes they will even drum upon the wooden siding of a residence in order to simply claim territory, shake insects loose, or even make an attempt for a chamber.

                                                      Juvenile Red-bellied Woodpecker
                                                              Boomer Creek, 2016

Red bellied-woodpeckers and Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, which are more commonly found in Texas, cross the state line and will hybridize in western parts of Oklahoma.  If you are in that area, look closely to ascertain what you might have, as the two species are easily confused.