Red-bellied Woodpecker In The Morning Sun

February 7, 2026

This is a male Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), enjoying the early morning sun. The male of this species has a bright red cap going from just above his beak, up and over the crown, and all the way down the nape of his neck. The female only has bright red on the nape of her neck.

Like most woodpeckers, the Red-bellied Woodpecker lives year round in the same area, and does not migrate. Its native range, eastern United States.

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.