This stunning woodpecker is native to the Northeastern and Central Northern United States and southern Canada and as recently as 2018, was considered threatened. In 2018, they were moved back to a species of least concern. Last week we saw a pair at our birdfeeder.
They were threatened due to loss of habitat. They require a forest with plenty of dead trees for nesting and sparse undergrowth. They hunt for insects by catching them while flying along with drilling them out of trees like other woodpeckers. Like many other species of woodpecker, these birds raise two broods per year. Redheaded woodpeckers are unlike most other woodpeckers in a couple of ways. First of all, they do migrate a short distance. Some travel from the northern part of their range to the southern part in the winter instead of staying in one place all winter. They also store food in caches to see them through times when food in scarce.
Red headed woodpeckers are brilliantly colored birds and they are vocal as well. If you see one, you'll know immediately. Their entire head, not just the back, is a deep scarlet red. The rest of their body is only black and white, there is no brown.