Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) Raymond J. Adams, Jr. & Torrey Wenger
Oakwoods Metropark, Monroe Co. MI (Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II 5/7/2007 © Jerry Jourdan )
The Red-bellied Woodpecker doesn’t seem to Barrows (1912) described it as “more frequently met with in the southern half of the state” and garner the admiration received by the related “rather more abundant on the west side …” Red-headed Woodpecker. In fact, people often often including the term migrant when referring mistakenly identify the Red-bellied as the Red- to its status. Van Tyne (1938) called it an headed. The pronounced red crown on the Red- “uncommon local resident north to Saginaw and bellied along with the fact the red on the belly is (formerly) Lake County. Clearly, sometime muted and hard to see, frequently causes between the late 1800s and 1950 its range confusion for the novice. Because this common contracted. Wood (1951) described it as an permanent resident is comfortable around “uncommon and local resident north to Ionia people and readily feeds on suet, sunflower County”. Habitat loss must certainly have been seeds, cracked corn, peanuts and peanut butter a factor as this time period saw vast at bird feeders, most birders in Michigan’s LP deforestation from the middle of the LP north. have become very familiar with it. The Red- Below average winter temperatures in the late bellied Woodpecker has only recently reached 1800s and the extensive drought in the 1930s the UP, immigrating northward from Wisconsin may also have been factors. into Menominee, Dickinson and Iron (K. Kahl pers. comm.) counties. This woodpecker is at Zimmerman and Van Tyne (1959) felt it may the northern limits of its range in Michigan, have been increasing and expanding its range in with a continental distribution extending from the late 1950s. By the 1980s, results from the plains east to the Atlantic Coast and from MBBA I showed a significantly expanded the Gulf Coast north into the Great Lake states breeding distribution with the Red-bellied and southern Ontario. Woodpecker found in over 34 % of the
townships. It was well-distributed south of a Distribution line extending from the north end of Saginaw The Red-bellied Woodpecker has been present Bay across to Mason County and north into in the state from at least the late 1830s (Sager Manistee, Benzie and Grand Traverse counties. 1839). Gibbs (1879) considered it an abundant Elsewhere north of the line, this woodpecker resident, while Cook considered it “common, was uncommon and local. There were seven though rare, except in wooded fields (1893)”.
© 2010 Kalamazoo Nature Center Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) Raymond J. Adams, Jr. & Torrey Wenger UP records in MBBA I. The species was less conducted from late March and late April when common and local in much of Saginaw Bay, the Red-bellied Woodpecker territorial development Detroit metropolitan area and the eastern half of is more pronounced. Since Atlas block surveys, the thumb, areas where extensive woodland was point counts and Breeding Bird Surveys usually less common. are conducted from late May through June when the Red-bellied Woodpecker is less vocal, this Today, data from MBBA II show that the Red- species is likely more common than survey bellied Woodpecker is widely distributed results suggest. throughout the southern LP, including the Detroit metropolitan area. It likely occurs in From 1966 to 2007, Sauer et al. (2008) show every township from the north end of Saginaw that the Red-bellied Woodpecker has Bay across to Mason County and south into significantly increased 5.4% per year in the state Indiana and Ohio. It also ranges across most of based on BBS data. From the beginning of the northern LP especially the lakeshore MBBA I (1983) through 2007, the trend is a counties, with few birds reported from positive 4.93 %. The trend in USFWS Region 3 Kalkaska, Otsego, Montmorency, Cheboygan for the same time period is a positive 2.15 %. and Presque Isle Counties. It is present in 45 Even in those areas of Michigan where the Red- townships in the UP extending northward from bellied Woodpecker has long been established, Wisconsin into the central UP. Overall, it can the population continues to increase. be found in approximately 53% of the Kalamazoo County BBS data indicate an townships in the state. The probability of increase from 1970 to 2006 of nearly 100%. finding it in a township increased over 60% These results show a clear trend that may be from MBBA I. associated with the warming climate, increase in forest, and quite possibly the increase in bird Breeding Biology feeding. Nationally, this woodpecker has The Red-bellied Woodpecker is typically single experienced an increase on CBC counts since brooded in Michigan, with nest building about 1950. commencing in late April and extending through May farther north. Egg dates range from late The PIF Michigan Landbird Population April into June with hatching of young Estimate (PIF 2008) for this woodpecker is beginning in mid-May and continuing into 79,000 birds or roughly 39,500 pairs. The August. Shackelford et al., (2000) provide number of pairs reported during MBBA II was clutch data indicating an average of slightly at least 5054, or approximately 13 % of the over four eggs, which require 12-14 days to estimated population. hatch. Young remain in the nest about three weeks. Cavity nesting species such as this are Conservation Needs easily confirmed during nest building when they The recent expansion in the state and the are quite vocal and again when feeding young at upward population trend suggest climate change the nest or recently fledged young. and forest maturation will continue to allow this species to prosper in Michigan. Because Red- Abundance and Population Trends bellied Woodpecker food is a mix of vegetable (Click to view trends from the BBS) and animal matter, overwinter survival is Woodpeckers are much more problematic to probably not a limiting factor, and the survey than songbirds. Most woodpeckers are popularity of bird feeding continues to grow. easily surveyed early in the breeding season. This species is unlikely to require special Only a small percentage of the surveys were
© 2010 Kalamazoo Nature Center Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) Raymond J. Adams, Jr. & Torrey Wenger conservation efforts other than preserving Suggested Citation adequate contiguous forest. Adams, R.J. and T. Wenger 2010. Red-bellied Literature Cited Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus). In Chartier, A.T., J.J. Baldy, and J.M. Barrows, W.B. 1912. Michigan Bird Life. Brenneman (eds.). 2010. The Second Special Bulletin. Michigan Agricultural Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas. Kalamazoo College. Lansing, MI. Nature Center. Kalamazoo, MI. Accessed Cook, A.J. 1893. Birds of Michigan, 2nd online at:
© 2010 Kalamazoo Nature Center