Woodpecker’s flashes of crimson brighten the dull winter

All it took was a picture of a red-belly. One of my favorite winter birds, the red-bellied woodpecker, provides my eyes with needed color during this bleak, drab time of year.

The woodpecker sports a brilliant red crown on the top of its head that extends down the back of its neck and wings and back. It also has intricate black and white barring on them that adds to the bird’s spectacular appearance.

The red-bellied woodpecker wasn’t always commonly seen in Ohio. It was a southern bird.

Jim McCormac, an avian expert, wrote in his guide, “Birds of Ohio,” that “Their continuing northern expansion in recent decades is probably associated with two factors: recovery of eastern forests to a more mature condition and the abundance of bird feeders.”

They come to my feeders for in-shell peanuts and suet.

McCormac explained that the state was heavily deforested around the year 1900, but now the state’s woods — and even the suburbs — are filled with large trees that provide a favorable habitat for the woodpeckers.

That’s because red-bellied woodpeckers nest in tree cavities, which don’t usually exist in saplings.

Another example of a bird species expanding its range northward to include Ohio is the Carolina wren. They are common at bird feeders now.

Both species are a welcome sight and help me endure the cold months.

McCormac said the red- bellied woodpecker is misnamed because they only have a pale tinge of red on their belly that nobody sees. I think they should probably be called a red-crowned woodpecker because that’s what makes the bird stunning.

“The increase in redbellied woodpeckers has brought delight to backyard birders,” McCormac said. “These brash, hammer heads make a noisy entrance, flashing zebra patterned wings and sporting crimson crowns.”

In the late winter and spring, however, the males can be annoying because of the way they use their beaks to drum on metal gutters or house siding to make as much noise as possible to attract a female, he said.

In my opinion though, anytime a critter wants to live in Ohio, I’ll welcome them. The wilder Ohio is, the better it is for me.