Red-Headed Woodpecker - Uncommon but Regal

Red-Headed Woodpecker - Uncommon but Regal

My husband and I were enjoying a late afternoon breeze on our back porch one July afternoon, when we observed a highly unexpected event.  The woodpecker I most wanted to see in my yard finally appeared!  A flash of white, black, and red swooped through the air and lit on a tree trunk about a hundred feet away – a stunning red-headed woodpecker had finally made an appearance.  It was a red-letter day (no pun intended) for this bird-watcher.  We watched it peck at the trunk for several minutes and got a great look at it since it stayed in view so long.  I even got a good photo of this brilliant bird before it finally took off for other parts.  That was almost a year ago, and I’ve not seen one since that day.  

The red-headed woodpecker is classified as “uncommon” in most areas of the eastern U.S., including ours. I’ve spotted them in Anderson just a handful of times over the past few years – once on River Street, once at the intersection of West Whitner and Tower, several times on Moultrie Square, and more recently on Mar-Mac Road (we observed a nesting pair half a dozen times there a couple of years ago).   This bird is so striking that an occasional glimpse of one is very satisfying.

Large patches of black and white on its back, belly, and wings make the red-headed woodpecker’s appearance very dramatic.  And that head!!  It looks like a brilliant red hood was lowered onto its head and draped around its shoulders. This woodpecker is unmistakable and easily identified when seen.  Its coloration makes it one of the most beautiful birds around.

Many people confuse the red-headed woodpecker with the red-bellied, which is more common in Anderson and surrounding areas.  The two birds are approximately the same size, and the red-bellied does have some red on its head (as do most woodpecker species).  However, the red-bellied woodpecker does not have the broad white patches on its belly and wings or the intensely ruby shaded head and neck, and is thus not as striking in appearance as the red-headed.  Its black and white coloration is interspersed over its body, and is said to be ladder-backed.  It is still a bird to appreciate, but it doesn’t have the same dramatic effect on an observer as does its more flamboyant cousin.

Even though I won’t see one often, during travels I will always keep my eyes peeled for red-headed woodpeckers.  They seem to pop up at the most unexpected times and unexpected places.  Keep looking as you travel around town, and you may be blessed with a quick view of this stunning, beautiful bird - the uncommon but regal red-headed woodpecker.