Red-Headed Woodpecker Bird Watching

There are several Red-Headed Woodpeckers in my area. These woodpeckers are probably my favorite. They are one of the most distinctive and unmistakable birds around, hands down.

They frequent my feeders daily, coming back multiple times during the morning and late afternoon. They seem to be partial to black oil sunflower seeds and cracked corn.



The Red-Headed Woodpecker hunts from a low perch, flying down from their perch to pick up their prey or nut.


Their population is reported to be in a steady decline, losing up to 50% of their population since 1966. The decline is at 4.6% per year since 1980. Their population size is estimated to be around 2.5 million. See related article over at the Audubon Society.

With that news, it makes the picture I got that much sweeter. A juvenile Red-Headed Woodpecker landed in my backyard and started foraging for food. Its Mother (or Father) flew around while it was close to the house. I was able to get several pics before it flew off. I'll definitely be keeping a closer eye out for his (or her) return.