WOODPECKERS 



(409) Centurus carolinus 



{Linn.) (Gr., a prickle, tail). 



RED-BELLIED WOOD- 

 PECKER. Plumage as shown; the 

 back, wings and tail strongly barred 

 with black; under parts grayish, 

 tinged with red on the middle of 

 the belly. The o"' has the whole 

 top of the head scarlet, while only 

 the nasal tufts and nape are scarlet 

 on the 9 , as shown by the bird on 

 the right. L., 9.50; W., 5.50; T., 

 3.75; B., i.io. Eggs — Four or five, 

 glossy white as usual, i.oox.ys; in 

 cavities of dead limbs, preferably of 

 coniferous trees. 



Range — Upper and Lower Austral 

 zones of eastern U. S.; from Del., 

 southern Ont., and Minn, south to 

 the Gulf. Casual in Mass. and Col. 



pair of Red-heads destroy first a nest of Tufted Titmice, 

 containing six young, and the following day devastate the 

 home of a pair of Brown-headed Nuthatches. The female 

 carried all of her prizes home to feed her own growing family, 

 while the male Red-head carried two of his to a near tree and 

 pulled them to pieces within my sight. 



But we must not picture these Isirds only in a bad light, 

 for during the greater part of the year they are on their good 

 behavior and live upon insects almost wholly; perhaps for 

 the simple reason that there are no eggs or young to be 

 obtained, but, nevertheless, they may be rated as useful 

 birds for at least three quarters of each year. Much of their 

 food is gathered from the ground, and they are also very 

 e.xpert at capturing flying insects. They seldom, if ever, 

 bore into living wood for larvse, but frequent decaying trees 

 where the picking is easy. During proper seasons they also 

 eat a great many kinds of fruit and berries. 



As a rule. Red-heads are quite shy, but they do frequently 

 take up quarters near houses, and are not often molested 



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