172 
BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA 
Genus MELANERPES Swainson. 
Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Linn.). 
Red-headed Woodpecker. 
Description {Plate 21). 
Head and neck all around crimson red, margined by a narrow crescent of black 
on the upper part of the breast; back, primary quills, and tail bluish-black ; under 
parts generally, a broad band across the middle of the wing, and the rump white : 
belly usually tinged with reddish. Bill and feet blue-black; iris brown. Female 
is not different. 
Young. —Head, neck and back dull gray, varied with blackish ; secondary feath¬ 
ers, usually crossed with dark bands. The head in nearly all specimens taken in 
fall and winter, with more or less red feathers. 
Length 9| inches ; extent about 18 ; wing 5| inches. 
Habitat .—United States, west to the Rocky mountains, straggling westward to 
Salt Lake valley; rare or local east of the Hudson river. 
The Iied-lieaded Woodpecker, readily recognized by its red, white and 
blue plumage, is found in Pennsylvania at all seasons, but during the 
summer is much more abundant than at other periods. I have repeat¬ 
edly observed these birds during the autumn and winter months, in 
small parties numbering from eight to a dozen or sometimes twenty in¬ 
dividuals, but never found them in large flocks. 
In many localities in eastern Pennsylvania during the past few years 
these beautiful birds have become quite scarce. As farmers and fruit¬ 
growers very generally seem to fully appreciate the beneficent services 
these birds render, and seldom subject them to persecution, I attribute 
this scarcity largely to the fact that the adult Red-heads find a ready 
market for millinery purposes. When pursued by gunners, these wood¬ 
peckers first endeavor to escape by flying to the topmost branches of 
the tallest trees; then, if further molested, they will conceal themselves 
in holes, where I have known them to remain for over one hour before 
venturing out. 
In this locality these birds subsist chiefly on an insect bill of fare; 
cherries, berries, occasionally ripe apples, green corn and pears are fed 
upon. In several examinations that I have made of birds shot in the 
winter season were discovered particles of acorns, gravel and different 
forms of insects. In the winter, like the common Crow Blackbirds, the 
Red-heads will sometimes visit corn-cribs and feed on corn which they 
pick from the ears. Although I have never seen this species store up 
acorns, etc., there is no doubt that they occasionally thus provide for 
themselves. 
Li the viscera of eleven Red-heads examined by the writer the follow¬ 
ing food materials were discovered: 
