Red-headed Woodpecker Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  Red-headed Woodpeckers are medium-sized woodpeckers with fairly large, rounded heads, short, stiff tails, and powerful, spike-like bills.

  Relative Size

  Smaller than a Northern Flicker; about the size of a Hairy Woodpecker.

  between robin and crow

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 7.5-9.1 in (19-23 cm)
    • Weight: 2.0-3.2 oz (56-91 g)
    • Wingspan: 16.5 in (42 cm)

  © Jeff Stacey / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Adults have bright-red heads, white underparts, and black backs with large white patches in the wings, making the lower back appear all white when perched. Immatures have gray-brown heads, and the white wing patches show rows of black spots near the trailing edge.

• Behavior

  In addition to catching insects by the normal woodpecker method of hammering at wood, Red-headed Woodpeckers also catch insects in flight and hunt for them on the ground. They also eat considerable amounts of fruit and seeds. Their raspy calls are shriller and scratchier than the Red-bellied Woodpecker’s.
• Habitat

  Red-headed Woodpeckers live in pine savannahs and other open forests with clear understories. Open pine plantations, treerows in agricultural areas, and standing timber in beaver swamps and other wetlands all attract Red-headed Woodpeckers.