by Riverwalk Birding Club
posted June 27, 2008
Neat stuff about Birds in the Chattanooga Area
by Charles Dean
How did the Red-bellied Woodpecker get it’s name ?
The Red-bellied Woodpecker is one of the seven common woodpeckers that we have in our area. They are abundant and provide pleasing observations year round at our backyard feeders as well as in the wild. They have vibrant colors of white and black stripes on their back, the male has a red cap covering the head from the bill to the back stripes, the female’s red cap only covers the nape, both have a white rump. So the questions why are they named Red-bellied ?
Red-bellied Woodpeckers are what most birders refer to as clingers. That means that most views of them are when their body is against the trunk or limb hiding their bellies. Below is a view showing their red belly and how they got their name.
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