RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER 211 



seen in the pine woods of Florida and other parts 

 of the south. Audubon says that when on a high 

 tree it looks as if entirely black. He also says 

 that it "glides upward and sidewise along the 

 trunks and branches on the lower as well as the 

 upper side moving with astonishing alertness, 

 and at every moment emitting a short, shrill, and 

 clear note which can be heard at a distance." Mr. 

 Chapman compares its call note to the yank, yank 

 of the Nuthatch, but says it is louder, hoarser, 

 and not so distinctly enunciated. 



The bird is said to be highly useful in destroy- 

 ing worms and insects under bark and in rotten 

 wood, excavating boring beetles and larvae. 



Red-bellied Woodpecker : Melanerpes carolinus. 



Adult male, top of head and back of neck scarlet ; back black, 

 uniformly barred with white ; under parts whitish, washed 

 with scarlet. Adult female, similar, but with the crown gray. 

 Length, 9^ inches. 



GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION. Eastern United States, breeding 1 

 from Florida to Maryland, and in the interior to Ontario and 

 southern Dakota ; occasionally strays to Massachusetts ; win- 

 ters from Virginia and southern Ohio southward. 



Mr. Ridgway pronounces the Red-bellied one 

 of the commonest and tamest Woodpeckers of 

 southern Illinois. In contests with the Red-headed 

 he has invariably seen it vanquished. Audubon 

 gave its call as chow-chow, and Major Bendire 

 calls attention to its low, mournful cooing note 

 which resembles that of the Mourning Dove and 

 is made in the nesting season. 



