The Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) is about 9 inches long. The head and neck are red. The back and tail are black. The underparts are white. They have long chisel shaped bills, which is important for drilling into trees.You'll find these woodpeckers in backyards, farmlands, and woodlands. They feed on insects, berries, and acorns.

This bird's range is in North America, pretty much east of the Rockies from southern Canada to the Gulf states.

The nest is found in a hole in a tree. The clutch is from 4 to 7 white eggs. The eggs are laid in early May and incubated by both parents for two weeks. There can be two broods raised in a single nesting season. The chicks fledge in about 30 days.

Red-headed Woodpeckers can live up to 9 years of age.

Class: Aves | Order: Piciformes | Family Picidae | Genus: Melanerpes

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