![]() ![]() Red-bellied Woodpeckers are considered permanent residents in most areas. In southern states, this woodpecker has been around for a long time and has been expanding northward and into the central plains. Are Red-bellied Woodpeckers RareĮast of the Rockies, the Red-bellied Woodpecker is widespread and fairly common in backyards with older trees. They are also known for eating the eggs and young of other birds, whether in open cup nests or nests in tree cavities. ![]() Other foods include seeds, beetles, insect larvae, tree frogs, and fruit. In the wild, Red-bellied Woodpeckers eat a diet of mainly vegetable matter consisting of a variety of tree nuts such as beechnuts, hickory nuts, and acorns. Other items that can be offered at the home feeding station are peanut butter, sunflower seed, and cracked corn. While they do store food, they don't do it at the level of most other woodpeckers. These Woodpeckers cache food in bark crevices, vine rootlets, and other places that require no excavation. In Spring, a fruit feeder with orange halves will bring them closeup. Red-bellied Woodpeckers are not rare and will readily visit winter bird feeders if suet is offered. Red-bellied Woodpecker Call Feeding Habits - Diet What they Eat In the north, a single brood may be raised each season while in the south two and even (rarely) three broods may be raised. The adults divide the young between them and the young continue to depend on and follow the adults for 5 to 6 weeks.Īfter this post-fledging training, the male will drive the young from the territory. The baby birds will fly from the nest (fledge) in about 24 - 27 days after hatching. Incubation (gestation period - not the correct term for birds) is done by both males and females after the last egg is laid and will last about 12 - 14 days. One egg is laid each day until the clutch is complete. The female Red-bellied Woodpecker will lay 4 - 5 pure white eggs. Studies have shown that 50 percent of nest cavities are taken by Starlings, which reduces the clutch sizes of the woodpeckers. The imported European Starling usurps the nesting cavities of Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Not unusual to see 3 or 4 cavities on a single limb in a row. ![]() Red-bellied Woodpeckers will also nest in man-made birdhousesĮach season, a new cavity is excavated but may be in the same tree. Red-bellied Woodpecker Nesting Habitsīoth males and females will build their nest in a tree, (dead or decaying) a utility pole, or take over another species of woodpecker home. Florida has had egg laying as late as August. Most late nests seen in northern states are most likely re-nesting attempts due to the failure of the first nest. ![]()
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