Birds
Red-Headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus · also called red-headed woodpeckers
A red-headed woodpecker launches from a fence post, snatches a flying insect out of the air, and returns to the very same post, its crimson head impossible to miss even at a considerable distance across open woodland.
Overview
The red-headed woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus, is a strikingly patterned woodpecker native to open forest and woodland edge habitat across the eastern and central United States. Its unusually varied diet, including insects caught in midair, and its significant historical population decline make it one of the more behaviourally distinctive and conservation-relevant woodpeckers on the continent.
A woodpecker that hunts like a flycatcher
Where most woodpeckers stay tied to bark and wood, the red-headed woodpecker regularly abandons that approach entirely, chasing down flying insects the way a flycatcher would, a flexible foraging style that sets it apart from close relatives.
Status
Near Threatened — declining significantly over the past century due to the loss of dead trees for nesting and competition from introduced starlings.
Red-Headed Woodpecker: common questions
Why does the red-headed woodpecker catch insects in the air?
A red-headed woodpecker supplements its typical woodpecker foraging by flying out to catch insects directly in midair, a technique that takes advantage of flying prey most other woodpeckers, which forage mainly by drilling into or gleaning from bark, generally don't pursue in the same way.
Why does the red-headed woodpecker cover its food caches?
A red-headed woodpecker sometimes covers cached food, including nuts and even live insects, with a piece of bark or wood after storing it in a crevice or fence post, likely as a way to hide the stash from other animals that might otherwise discover and steal it.
Why has the red-headed woodpecker declined so much?
Red-headed woodpecker populations have declined significantly over the past century due to the loss of dead trees and snags needed for nesting, combined with competition from introduced European starlings, which aggressively compete for the same limited nest cavities.
Where does the red-headed woodpecker live?
The red-headed woodpecker is native to open forest, woodland edge, and savanna-like habitat across the eastern and central United States, generally remaining in the same general area year-round rather than migrating long distances.