Rondeau Ric

 We haven't seen a red-head for about two weeks. We hear then most days, but they have been shy, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 7, 2025. Melanerpes erythrocephalus The Red-headed Woodpecker is one of only four North American woodpeckers known to store food, and it is the only one known to cover the stored food with wood or bark. It hides insects and seeds in cracks in wood, under bark, in fenceposts, and under roof shingles. Grasshoppers are regularly stored alive, but wedged into crevices so tightly that they cannot escape.

  Red-headed woodpecker visiting the yard this afternoon, I think they are one of the most elegant bids we see. Rondeau Provincial Park. Ontario, Canada, July 13, 2025. Melanerpes erythrocephalus The Red-headed Woodpecker benefited from the chestnut blight and Dutch elm disease outbreaks of the twentieth century. Though these diseases devastated trees they provided many nest sites and foraging opportunities for the woodpeckers.

 We have a pair of redheads chasing each other through the yard, hawking insects and diving into the tall grass to Cath something I couldn't identify.  Fun to watch. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, April 30, 2024. Melanerpes erythrocephalus.  The gorgeous Red-headed Woodpecker is so boldly patterned it’s been called a “flying checkerboard,” with an entirely crimson head, a snow-white body, and half white, half inky black wings. These birds don’t act quite like most other woodpeckers: they’re adept at catching insects in the air, and they eat lots of acorns and beech nuts, often hiding away extra food in tree crevices for later. This magnificent species has declined severely in the past half-century because of habitat loss and changes to its food supply. source- allaboutbirds-org

  One of my favourite birds that visit the yard. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, May 24, 2023. Melanerpes erythrocephalus The Red-headed Woodpecker is one of only four North American woodpeckers known to store food, and it is the only one known to cover the stored food with wood or bark. It hides insects and seeds in cracks in wood, under bark, in fenceposts, and under roof shingles. Grasshoppers are regularly stored alive, but wedged into crevices so tightly that they cannot escape. Source, all bout birds org

Red-headed woodpecker with lunch, Rondeau Provincial Park, July 14, 2023. We had red-heads, red-bellies , red-wings and house sparrows hawking insects over the yard today. Not sure what they were catching. Melanerpes erythrocephalus. The oldest Red-headed Woodpecker on record was banded in 1926 in Michigan and lived to be at least 9 years, 11 months old. source -Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Red-headed woodpecker, Rondeau Provincial Park, May 10, 2023. Put on a show all day, you have to reward that type of persistence with a peanut. Melanerpes erythrocephalus The Red-headed Woodpecker has many nicknames, including half-a-shirt, shirt-tail bird, jellycoat, flag bird, and the flying checker-board. source - allaboutbirds-org

Red-headed woodpecker, Rondeau Provincial Park, May 7, 2023. We finally have a pair of red-heads back in the yard. Hopefully the will nest in the trees behind us again. Melanerpes erythrocephalus. The Red-headed Woodpecker is one of only four North American woodpeckers known to store food, and it is the only one known to cover the stored food with wood or bark. It hides insects and seeds in cracks in wood, under bark, in fenceposts, and under roof shingles. Grasshoppers are regularly stored alive, but wedged into crevices so tightly that they cannot escape. source - allaboutbird-org.

Immature red-headed woodpecker, Rondeau Provincial Park, Aug 1, 2022. Melanerpes erythrocephalus The Red-headed Woodpecker has many nicknames, including half-a-shirt, shirt-tail bird, jellycoat, flag bird, and the flying checker-board.

Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, May 26, 2022. We have at least one nesting pair of red-heads near out yard. They have been chasing all other woodpeckers and birds in general out of our yard. Melanerpes erythrocephalus Pleistocene-age fossils of Red-headed Woodpeckers—up to 2 million years old—have been unearthed in Florida, Virginia, and Illinois. aouecw - Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

May 21, 2017, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. Going through some older photos and came across this one. Melanerpes erythrocephalus The Red-headed Woodpecker is one of only four North American woodpeckers known to store food, and it is the only one known to cover the stored food with wood or bark. It hides insects and seeds in cracks in wood, under bark, in fenceposts, and under roof shingles. Grasshoppers are regularly stored alive, but wedged into crevices so tightly that they cannot escape. source- Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, May 19, 2021. Melanerpes erythrocephalus The gorgeous Red-headed Woodpecker is so boldly patterned it’s been called a “flying checkerboard,” with an entirely crimson head, a snow-white body, and half white, half inky black wings. These birds don’t act quite like most other woodpeckers: they’re adept at catching insects in the air, and they eat lots of acorns and beech nuts, often hiding away extra food in tree crevices for later. Source -Cornell Lab of Ornithology- All About Birds

A red-belled woodpecker stood his ground when a red-headed woodpecker swooped into his perch. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, June 19, 2021. Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus

Red-headed woodpecker, July 13, 2020, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario Canada. Came in for the grapes. Melanerpes erythrocephalus The gorgeous Red-headed Woodpecker is so boldly patterned it’s been called a “flying checkerboard,” with an entirely crimson head, a snow-white body, and half white, half inky black wings. These birds don’t act quite like most other woodpeckers: they’re adept at catching insects in the air, and they eat lots of acorns and beech nuts, often hiding away extra food in tree crevices for later.

Red-headed woodpecker in the yard June 5, 2020. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. Melanerpes erythrocephalus The Red-headed Woodpecker is one of only four North American woodpeckers known to store food, and it is the only one known to cover the stored food with wood or bark. It hides insects and seeds in cracks in wood, under bark, in fenceposts, and under roof shingles. Grasshoppers are regularly stored alive, but wedged into crevices so tightly that they cannot esca pe. source -  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-headed_Woodpecker

May 13, 2020, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. The red-head finally came back to the yard. We had one until mid February then it disappeared. Melanerpes erythrocephalus Pleistocene-age fossils of Red-headed Woodpeckers—up to 2 million years old—have been unearthed in Florida, Virginia, and Illinois. source - https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-headed_Woodpecker

Red-headed woodpecker, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, Jan 6, 2020. Still hanging around and coming to the feeders every day. First time we have had one over winter. Melanerpes erythrocephalus Red-headed Woodpeckers are fierce defenders of their territory. They may remove the eggs of other species from nests and nest boxes, destroy other birds’ nests, and even enter duck nest boxes and puncture the duck eggs.

Red-headed woodpecker, Nov 5, 2019, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. According to our records this is the latest that we have had a red-headed woodpecker in the yard. It is very cautious and it takes two or three passes before it will settle on the feeder. Through the Wonderful Wildlife Window. Melanerpes erythrocephalus The Red-headed Woodpecker is one of only four North American woodpeckers known to store food, and it is the only one known to cover the stored food with wood or bark. It hides insects and seeds in cracks in wood, under bark, in fence posts, and under roof shingles. Grasshoppers are regularly stored alive, but wedged into crevices so tightly that they cannot escape. source - Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Red-headed woodpecker, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, May 21, 2019. We have had four red-headed woodpeckers in and around our yard for several days. At least two are nesting in the large trees just off our lot. Melanerpes erythrocephalus Red-headed Woodpeckers are fierce defenders of their territory. They may remove the eggs of other species from nests and nest boxes, destroy other birds’ nests, and even enter duck nest boxes and puncture the duck eggs. source -  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-headed_Woodpecker

Sitting in the yard having coffee this morning. Cardinal Male and female cowbirds Male rose breasted grosbeak House finch - hitching a ride. Ruby throated hummingbird- juggling breakfast. White breasted nuthatch - male pattern baldness. Red bellied woodpecker Red-headed woodpecker Swallows

I particularly like red-headed woodpeckers and this one came in to wish me a happy 70th. Shot through the Wonderful Wildlife Window. Melanerpes erythrocephalus. The Red-headed Woodpecker has many nicknames, including half-a-shirt, shirt-tail bird, jellycoat, flag bird, and the flying checker-board.