Woodpeckers

Family: Picadae

Woodpeckers have strong bills for drilling and drumming on trees and long sticky tongues for extracting food. All woodpeckers nest in cavities. Some species supplement their diets with birds eggs, small mammals, fruits and some suck sap.

In North America the smallest woodpecker is the Downy Woodpecker and the largest is the Pileated Woodpecker. Most woodpecker species are primary cavity nesters that excavate their own nests and their old nests are often used by other birds and small mammals. Most woodpeckers live near forests or woodland habitats but a few live in deserts and rocky hillsides.

Thoughts Of My Mom and A Downy Woodpecker

By |2023-09-05T05:30:01-06:00September 5th, 2023|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Downy Woodpeckers, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday, my window was open. It was a rainy, dreary day, and I found myself inexplicably feeling down. I heard the distinctive calls of a Downy Woodpecker.

Red-headed Woodpecker Photos From Sequoyah NWR

By |2023-07-20T05:22:46-06:00July 20th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Oklahoma, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These Red-headed Woodpecker photos were taken last month at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge. I had one great day with this species in two spots on the refuge.

3000 Daily Posts In A Row Milestone

By |2023-07-19T13:06:50-06:00July 19th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Milestone, Targhee National Forest, Williamson's Sapsuckers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today is a milestone day for me. I'm celebrating the fact that I have shared 3000 daily posts here at On The Wing Photography in a row.

Young Red-bellied Woodpecker Learning To Peck Wood

By |2023-07-03T02:38:52-06:00July 3rd, 2023|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this young Red-bellied Woodpecker last month in Arkansas. I was visiting my dear friend and fellow photographer, Steve Creek.

Downy Woodpecker Photos From Arkansas

By |2023-06-25T15:11:04-06:00June 26th, 2023|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Downy Woodpeckers, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I photographed this immature Downy Woodpecker yesterday in my friend Steve's yard I didn't think I'd get two photos with its tongue sticking out. But I did!

Young Red-bellied Woodpecker With An Adult Close Up

By |2023-07-03T08:47:08-06:00June 17th, 2023|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today I'm sharing a close up photo of a young Red-bellied Woodpecker with an adult taken in my good friend Steve Creek's yard at a feeder.

Male Northern Flicker Images

By |2022-05-04T05:40:32-06:00May 4th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Northern Flickers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing a few male Northern Flicker images that I took seven years ago at the edge of a mountain forest in the Targhee National Forest in Idaho.

Soothing Sounds of Birds From My Living Room Window

By |2024-02-14T07:13:09-07:00September 6th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Downy Woodpeckers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I like having my windows open so I can hear the sounds of birds when I can't be in the field. It helps me to hear them especially when the world is so crazy.

Red-naped Sapsucker Photos

By |2021-04-11T06:10:38-06:00April 11th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Modoc Creek, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Summit County, Targhee National Forest, Uinta National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I wanted to share a few Red-naped Sapsucker photos I have taken while in gorgeous alpine forests of Idaho and Utah. 

Pileated Woodpecker – The 2021 ABA Bird of The Year

By |2024-03-07T13:39:07-07:00January 5th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Hillsborough County, Lettuce Lake Regional Park, Pileated Woodpeckers, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

The American Birding Association has selected the Pileated Woodpecker as their Bird of the Year for 2021 and I think it is an excellent choice.

Adult Female Northern Flicker Foraging In Hawthorns

By |2024-03-07T14:10:23-07:00September 29th, 2020|Categories: Birds, East Canyon, Morgan County, Northern Flickers, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This adult female Northern Flicker and a male were both foraging for hawthorn berries when I spotted them from across a creek high in the Wasatch Mountains.

Immature Male Downy Woodpecker Close Up

By |2023-09-05T08:55:57-06:00August 22nd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Downy Woodpeckers, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A few weeks ago while up in the Wasatch Mountains I was able to see and photograph an immature male Downy Woodpecker as it foraged for food in willows and while clinging to a Common Mullein.

Nesting Northern Flickers Provide Nests For Other Birds

By |2024-03-07T14:34:56-07:00May 1st, 2020|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Northern Flickers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

By excavating their own nests Northern Flickers provide nests for other woodland birds that can't excavate nesting cavities on their own and those nests can be used over and over again. Nature is brilliant.

Adult Male Red-naped Sapsucker With Food For His Chicks

By |2021-04-11T06:05:04-06:00April 8th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Modoc Creek, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The adult Red-naped Sapsuckers often clung to the entrance to the nesting cavity for a few seconds before they went inside with the food they had gathered to give to their chicks.

Photographing Nesting Williamson’s Sapsuckers

By |2023-11-02T07:11:29-06:00April 6th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Targhee National Forest, Williamson's Sapsuckers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

For one and a half wonderful nesting seasons I was thrilled to photograph a pair of mated Williamson's Sapsuckers excavating a nest and tending to their young.

Photographing A Male Downy Woodpecker In A Chokecherry Tree

By |2023-09-05T08:55:00-06:00August 29th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Downy Woodpeckers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I noticed the Downy Woodpecker moving towards the front part of the tree I changed my focus to it and waited to see if he would come out into the open and when it did I was ready to takes images of him.

Immature Northern Flicker In The Wasatch Mountains

By |2024-03-07T14:06:49-07:00August 24th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Morgan County, Northern Flickers, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This immature Northern Flicker was one of the last birds I spotted and photographed three days ago while up in the Wasatch Mountains and I was happy that she stayed long enough for me to take a nice series of images of her.

Downy Woodpecker Close Up In The Wasatch Mountains

By |2023-09-05T08:52:48-06:00August 3rd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Downy Woodpeckers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Who knew that Downy Woodpeckers have eyes the color of a fine Cognac? I didn't until I took this Downy Woodpecker close up in the Wasatch Mountains one month ago.

Photographic Frustrations – Red-naped Sapsuckers in the Targhee National Forest

By |2021-04-11T06:37:58-06:00July 11th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Frustrations in bird photography, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One year ago today I experienced one of the two most frustrating days in my entire time of being a bird photographer while photographing Red-naped Sapsuckers in the Targhee National Forest of Idaho.

Male Red-naped Sapsucker Close Ups – Too Much Glass

By |2021-04-11T06:42:25-06:00June 8th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Summit County, Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spotted a flash of black, white and red as a bird landed in the aspen tree that was closest to me above where the wrens and swallows are nesting and realized that a male Red-naped Sapsucker had flown in and was foraging for food in the buds of the aspen.

Photographing a Male Northern Flicker Excavating a Nesting Cavity

By |2024-03-07T15:00:33-07:00March 23rd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Nesting Birds, Northern Flickers, Targhee National Forest, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I dug into my archives and picked these Northern Flicker photos from May of 2015 to share today because I saw a Northern Flicker yesterday and thought of how they will soon start excavating their nesting cavities to rear their young in.

My Year of Bird Photography in 2017

By |2020-12-29T16:50:22-07:00December 31st, 2017|Categories: American Tree Sparrows, American White Pelicans, Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Green-tailed Towhees, Idaho, Prairie Falcons, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Red-tailed Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Short-eared Owls, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I love what I do, I love my subjects and it doesn't matter if I find them close to home or further away. I am blessed. 2017 has been wonderful and I am excited for what 2018 may bring.

Perched male Red-naped Sapsucker in Idaho’s Targhee National Forest

By |2021-04-11T06:06:33-06:00December 4th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Red-naped Sapsucker was perched on a dead aspen branch near the nesting cavity where I photographed a chick being fed by the adults in mid July.

Red-naped Sapsucker Diving Away From Nesting Cavity

By |2021-04-11T06:46:07-06:00August 16th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I did find one jewel in the images, a photo of one of the adult Red-naped Sapsuckers flying away from the nesting cavity looking like a bullet.

Intruding Red-naped Sapsucker – Or Just A Curious Bird?

By |2021-04-11T10:18:40-06:00July 29th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I do not believe that this bird was one of the pair of adult Red-naped Sapsuckers I photographed feeding the chick in the nesting cavity, his bib and breast markings were different from the other adult birds.

Adult Red-naped Sapsucker Feeding its Chick at the Nesting Cavity

By |2021-04-11T06:50:10-06:00July 14th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Although photographing the Red-naped Sapsuckers at the nesting cavity has been frustrating at times it has also been very rewarding to observe all the action of the sapsucker family.

Targhee National Forest Red-naped Sapsucker Feeding Young

By |2021-04-11T06:59:25-06:00July 12th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Jackpot and frustrations... I'll explain the jackpot first and get to the frustrations later about the Targhee National Forest Red-naped Sapsucker feeding its young.

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