Red-bellied woodpecker query

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Permalink Reply by Laura Erickson on December 19, 2011 at 7:40am

That's intruiguing. Both male and female have a brilliant red nape, which extends all the way through the forehead to the beak in the male. Females have a pale forehead extending up toward the crown. In areas where they're not common, often just one bird will have control over a fairly large territory, but it's mystifying why you'd only have one male over such a long time in a state that has many Red-bellied Woodpeckers. 

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Permalink Reply by susan loesser on December 19, 2011 at 8:18am

 I will take a more careful look at how far through the forehead the red nape occurs.  I somehow thought the male's nape extended farther down the neck than the female's so i've probably been paying attention to the wrong end!  Maybe i've had only females!!!  Thanks much for your clarification.  I'll write again when i've sorted out my observations.  Certainly they are common around here, but never more than one at a time at my feeders.  

Laura Erickson said:

That's intruiguing. Both male and female have a brilliant red nape, which extends all the way through the forehead to the beak in the male. Females have a pale forehead extending up toward the crown. In areas where they're not common, often just one bird will have control over a fairly large territory, but it's mystifying why you'd only have one male over such a long time in a state that has many Red-bellied Woodpeckers. 

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Permalink Reply by susan loesser on December 30, 2011 at 1:59pm

Hi Laura, thanks to your setting me straight on sexing red bellies, I've been watching this bird very carefully over the past two weeks, and i can say for sure it is a male.  I believe it is always the same individual too, since he always approaches from the same direction, and goes right to the same feeder.  However it could easily be more than one.  My original question persists, tho.  Why only a male?  As you say, we have no dearth of red bellied woodpeckers in New Jersey.  I wonder if the males and females only mingle during nesting season.  Is that possible?

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Permalink Reply by Laura Erickson on December 30, 2011 at 3:47pm

It's quite possible. Unless there is a lot of food, a lot of woodpeckers become rather territorial in winter so they don't have to share.

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Permalink Reply by tom schulten on March 2, 2012 at 11:31am

at my suet feeder here in central maryland, i have only a single female red-bellied woodpecker......

 

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Permalink Reply by susan loesser on March 2, 2012 at 2:12pm

Thanks, Tom and Laura.  And now, guess what:  there's a female too.  They are never there together, but since the beginning of February I've seen both sexes.  Maybe she's always been there and i haven't looked at the right time.  Anyway, thanks again.

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