Snow-bellied Woodpecker.
Red-bellied woodpecker, Rondeau Provincial Park, January 13, 2018.
The birds in the yard were all frozen including this red-bellied woodpecker, we assume there was a raptor nearby.
Snow fell and coated the red-belly as it hung on.
After 5 minutes the birds started moving again.
Photo taken through the Wonderful Wildlife Window.
Melanerpes carolinus
A Red-bellied Woodpecker can stick out its tongue nearly 2 inches past the end of its beak. The tip is barbed and the bird’s spit is sticky, making it easier to snatch prey from deep crevices. Males have longer, wider-tipped tongues than females, possibly allowing a breeding pair to forage in slightly different places on their territory and maximize their use of available food.
source - https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-bellied_Woodpecker/lifehistory
The birds in the yard were all frozen including this red-bellied woodpecker, we assume there was a raptor nearby.
Snow fell and coated the red-belly as it hung on.
After 5 minutes the birds started moving again.
Photo taken through the Wonderful Wildlife Window.
Melanerpes carolinus
A Red-bellied Woodpecker can stick out its tongue nearly 2 inches past the end of its beak. The tip is barbed and the bird’s spit is sticky, making it easier to snatch prey from deep crevices. Males have longer, wider-tipped tongues than females, possibly allowing a breeding pair to forage in slightly different places on their territory and maximize their use of available food.
source - https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-bellied_Woodpecker/lifehistory
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