Red-headed Woodpecker

The Red-headed Woodpecker is a striking, boldly patterned bird of open woodlands, savanna, and groves with standing dead trees, where it forages, catches insects in flight, and stores food. Its solid red head is distinctive and gives it its name and its unmistakable appearance.

Unlike the partially red-headed Red-bellied Woodpecker, adults of this species show a completely red head extending down to the throat, contrasting sharply with a jet-black back and wings and a clean white belly.

Its feathers are among the boldest and most contrasting of any North American woodpecker, with a large square white patch on the wing that flashes conspicuously in flight.

Size and Shape

Medium-length, sturdy flight and body feathers typical of a mid-sized woodpecker.

Color and Pattern

• Head and throat feathers are entirely solid crimson-red in adults, unlike any partial red pattern in related species.
• Back and wing feathers are solid black, without barring.
• A large, square white patch occupies much of the secondary wing feathers, very conspicuous in flight.
• Underside feathers are clean white.

Comparisons

The fully red head and unbarred black back separate this species clearly from the Red-bellied Woodpecker, which shows only partial red on the head and a finely barred black-and-white back. Juvenile Red-headed Woodpeckers show brownish-gray head feathers before molting into the adult's solid red by their first winter.

Sexes look alike, both with a fully red head as adults. Juveniles have brownish-gray heads and streakier underparts, molting into the solid red adult pattern during their first fall and winter, creating a notable difference between immature and adult feathers.

Red-headed Woodpeckers are found across the eastern and central United States in open woodlands, savanna, and groves with dead trees or snags for nesting and foraging. Northern populations are partially migratory, while southern populations tend to be resident; the species has declined in parts of its range due to habitat loss.

This species catches insects in flight (flycatching), unusual among woodpeckers, and caches acorns and nuts in bark crevices and cracks. It is notably aggressive in defending nest sites and food caches from other birds. Its call is a harsh "tchur." A solid black feather with a bold white patch, or a solid crimson-red head feather, is a strong match for this striking species.