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.

Autumn Female Northern Flicker At A Birdbath

By |October 18th, 2024|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Northern Flickers, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning, I was thrilled when a female Northern Flicker flew into the birdbath for a drink on a chilly autumn day. She seemed to glow in the sunlight.

Female Downy Woodpecker – Beauty of Sunlight and Shadows

By |October 13th, 2024|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Downy Woodpeckers, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When this female Downy Woodpecker showed up at the suet feeder in such dramatic light and shadows, I knew I wanted to photograph her to showcase her beauty.

Hatch year Red-bellied Woodpecker With Prey

By |August 2nd, 2024|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

After I photographed the Ruby-throated Hummingbird I shared yesterday, I focused on a hatch year Red-bellied Woodpecker with some kind of prey in their bill.

Focusing On Female A Red-bellied Woodpecker

By |June 24th, 2024|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today my post focuses on an adult female Red-bellied Woodpecker because she is lovely. I took these images in Arkansas in my friend Steve Creek's yard.

Male Red-bellied Woodpecker Inside A Nesting Cavity In Oklahoma

By |May 30th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Oklahoma, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my third visit to Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge I was thrilled to spot a male Red-bellied Woodpecker inside of a nesting cavity.

More Red-bellied Woodpecker Photos

By |May 14th, 2024|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today, I am sharing more Red-bellied Woodpecker photos that I took while visiting my friend Steve Creek and his dog Rosie in his birdy Arkansas yard and garden.

Birds and Wildlife From Arkansas And Sequoyah NWR In Oklahoma

By |May 6th, 2024|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Blue-winged Teals, Carolina Chickadees, Common Five-lined Skinks, Coyotes, Fox Squirrels, Great Horned Owls, House Finches, Northern Cardinals, Northern Flickers, Oklahoma, Painted Lady Butterflies, Pine Siskins, Sebastian County, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Three-toed Box Turtles, Tufted Titmouses|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm sharing a bunch of bird and wildlife photos that I have recently photographed in my friend Steve's yard in Arkansas, and from Sequoyah NWR in Oklahoma.

Red-headed Woodpecker Photos From Sequoyah NWR

By |July 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 |July 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.

Male Northern Flicker Images

By |May 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 |September 6th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Black-capped Chickadees, Canada Geese, Capitol Reef National Park, Downy Woodpeckers, Morgan County, Utah, Wayne County|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 |April 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 |January 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 |September 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 |August 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 |May 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.

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