Red-headed woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus

Identification Tips:

• Sexes similar
• Fairly large, strikingly black and white woodpecker

Adult:

• Bright red head and neck
• White breast, belly, rump, and vent
• Black back and wings with prominent white secondaries visible in flight and at rest
• Black tail

Juvenile:

• Mottled brown head and neck
• White breast, belly, and rump variably marked with brown streaking
• Dark brown back and upperwings with paler edgings
• White secondaries broken by brown lateral bars
• Dark brown tail

Similar species:

Entirely red head of adult should easily separate it from all but Red-breasted Sapsucker (which does not overlap in range, and has paterned back, yellow belly, and a different wing pattern). Note the Red-headed Woodpecker's different position of the white wing patch (especially in flight), white belly, and larger size. It may be confused with the largely dissimilar Red-bellied Woodpecker at times, but attention to the gray face and throat, and barred back and wings of the Red-bellied should eliminate any confusion.