What bird is this?
Drab gray with a plain head and chest, a dark stripey back and almost plain wings, he’s not in my field guide.
His large bill and upright, legless stance give me a hint but the real clue is to watch his behavior.
This bird is noisy and rarely alone. He chases and begs from red-bellied woodpeckers. He doesn’t have red on his head because he’s a baby — a fledgling red-bellied woodpecker.
He’s not a new species, but he is a “new” bird.
(photo by Marcy Cunkelman)
Kate – he’s adorable. Thanks for the picture. I have these woodpeckers in my yard, but have never seen a juvenile up close!
I have a National Geo. guide & he’snot in mine either. He looked more like a western woopecker species because of the spots on his wing rather than more like dashes. Boy you just can’t know too much!!!!
I’ve just started seeing our young woodpeckers playing around the trees and the suet feeder. They’re adorably clumsy.
This little one was only about 8-10 feet from the front door and where I have my all-weather feeder with sunflower chips…all the birds love it and most babies come to learn to eat from their parents. Even though I have a “cage” around it…this is the most used feeder and since I use chips, there’s not too much of a mess under it..the bigger birds stick their head thru the wire cage and reach up and get the chips…best bird NOW is the Pine Siskin…..
I like to feed all summer, to see the babies feeding, but also so the birds are in the yard, eating bugs…the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Cardinals LOVE to munch Japanese Beetles.
We also have lots of these juvies. Keep suet out in summer to watch parents teach them where to find the good stuff! At first, they sit in the trees and beg, but eventually figure out how to land on the suet cages.
(and every night, suet comes in so we don’t attract the raccoons)
This was a good test! I thought it may be some kind of woodpecker, but didn’t know which one. I have never seen a juvie RB Woodpecker before. Thanks to Marcy for the great pic!
This past winter was the first time I have had Red-Bellied Woodpeckers at my feeding area. In addition to suet, like Marcy’s, they love sunflower hearts. They eat them directly from the deck where I scatter them.
It is also fun to watch Pileated Woodpeckers, who have to turn their heads sideways to pick up sunflower hearts from the deck with their giant beaks!
After I took my feeders down for the summer and fall (due to black bear problems), the very next day I heard a tapping on my house next to the window by my deck. When I looked to see what was making the noise, a Pileated Woodpecker flew away. He was obviously not pleased with the feeders being removed. By the way, there is no wood on the exterior of my house where a woodpecker could find food.
I had one of these on my bird table this morning.