# Red-headed woodpecker?



## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

At my farm, I've seen countless N. Flickers, Downies, and Hairy's. Dozens of sightings of red-bellies and Pileateds. 

Red-headeds? Never seen one. Near as I can tell, they're no more numerous than Ivory-billeds. 

M1, that is a great pic.


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## triplehooked (Dec 26, 2004)

Nice pic M1Garand, bet he can go through that suet pretty quick!


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## catch&release (Jan 17, 2004)

Nice pic, M1Garand

Here's a link to a good description of the red headed woodpecker with an illustration

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/bow/rehwoo/


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

My parents get Red Heads at their cabin, near Hale. They get a lot more Downy's, and we see Pileated Woodpeckers here and there. 

I don't see nearly as many Red Heads as I did growing up, but I would not say that they are rare. I see at least several every year, and in different parts of the State. From the Detroit area (I live very close to a Metro Park), to Grayling, to Manistee, to Oscoda; I see Red Heads. Seems like I used to see them within the city limits of Bay City, when I was growing up; but I could be wrong.


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

herefishy said:


> Nope, thats not the bird that I saw. The bird I saw had a full white belly and black body with a red head. Kinda like a red-headed penguine.


If it wasn't the Pileated, the only other ones that I can think of it may be was the Red headed (see above link), 

The Red bellied:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/BOW/HAWP/

and the Hairy:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/BOW/REWO/

But they're all roughly half the length of a crow.


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## herefishy (Feb 23, 2006)

After going to the links and seeing photos of the species I have concluded that what I saw was a red-headed woodpecker but i'm going to continue to call them red-headed penguines.:lol:


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## pporonto (Oct 8, 2003)

outdoorsman4 said:


> Well, from the responses it seems that they are out there. I'm hoping I'll see one somewhere eventually. According to the literature, red-headed woodpeckers have been declining in the eastern U.S. for quite some time. At one time they were considered quite common. The introduction of the european starling back in the 1890's has thought to have contributed to the decline due to increased competition over nesting cavities. The lose of woodland habitat has also affected the population. I do regularly get to see downy, hairy, red-bellied, and flickers at my suet cage so I guess I can't complain. I had the opportunity to watch a male and female pileated around their cavity hole this past summer at Hartwick Pines S.P., that was interesting.


They are around. I have been birding for 33 years and I have seen a ton of them. However, the best way to locate them is to know there song. Years ago I purchased petersons song cassetes, and later on CD's and learned bird songs. Now I have computer programs with bird songs that let me set up quizzes so I can learn the songs. I see them every spring at Point Pelee when I go for spring migration.


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## trout (Jan 17, 2000)

I saw one several years ago near Lakeport.
They migrate and are rare in some areas and common in others.
Pairs of them used to nest near the Marysville golf course too.
We had lots near our home in Ohio in the early 60s.
Look for them in May migrating north.

I have seen more pileated woodpeckers this year near the Port Huron SGA than ever before.

In Feb. I will be attending a meeting featuring a speaker on the Ivory Billed Woodpecker.
I report back what I learn.


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## woodie slayer (Feb 25, 2006)

i see a few every year up here.mostly around old clear cuts where they left the dead trees.definatly not as many as there once was..
we do have a bunch of the big pileated wood peckers here too.i accually think they are on the rise


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## bully06 (Dec 10, 2002)

I see them up at the cottage in Harrison all the time, they love to eat suet cakes. Also occasionally see a pilated in the yard from time to time.


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