Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
- Family
- Woodpeckers (Picidae)
- Order
- Piciformes
Overview
The red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) is a medium-sized woodpecker of the family Picidae. It breeds mainly in the eastern United States, ranging as far south as Florida and as far north as Canada. Though it has a vivid orange-red crown and nape it is not to be confused with the red-headed woodpecker, a separate species of woodpecker in the same genus with an entirely red head and neck that sports a solid black back and white belly. The red-bellied earns its name from the pale reddish tint on its lower underside.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Eastern North America (southern Canada to Texas and Florida Keys).
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Continents
Countries
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Red-bellied woodpecker
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
