![]() ![]() Western Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus zebra – Boddaert, 1783) – Species usually considered invalid – usually grouped with nominate form Range: Central and eastern Texas described.įlorida Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus perplexus – Burleigh and Lowery, 1944) – Species usually considered invalid Red-bellied Woodpecker (harpaceus) (Melanerpes carolinus harpaceus – Koelz, 1954) – Species usually considered invalid Range: Recorded in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus carolinus – Linnaeus, 1758) – Nominate form Within their range, they are permanent residents however, they move down from higher elevations and the northern tier of the country in winter or may relocate whenever weather conditions are unfavorable. They are usually found below 2,000 feet (~ 600 meters) elevations, but occasionally as high as 3,000 feet (~900 meters). These woodpeckers are generally associated with forest habitats, in particular mature hardwood forests as well as mixed pine-hardwood forests, mesic pine flatwoods, heavily timbered bottomlands, swampy woods, and riparian forests. In the United States, their range stretches from southeastern North Dakota, central Minnesota and northern Wisconsin east through Michigan to extreme southern Ontario and southern Massachusetts and south to Florida and west to extreme northeastern Colorado and south coastal Texas. The Red-bellied Woodpeckers occur naturally in southeastern North America from southern Canada (southern Ontario) south through central and northeastern United States. ![]() In addition to walking, climbing and hopping along tree trunks, they also “hitch” – a unique sort of downward hopping motion. While foraging, Red-bellies Woodpeckers move in all directions. They are known to “play” by spontaneously flying and dodging among trees and shrubs as if evading predators. Red-Bellied Woodpeckers are fun birds to observe in the wild. They are closely related with the West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) and are known to hybridize to a limit extend with the Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) in Texas, southern USA. The red belly is difficult to view on a live bird. Their most distinctive plumage detail is the male’s bright red crown. The Red-bellied Woodpeckers ( Melanerpes carolinus) – also known as Zebra Woodpeckers – are North American woodpeckers that were named for their red bellies and zebra- striped backs. Member of the Picidae Family: Woodpeckers … Sapsuckers … Flickers ![]()
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