Red-bellied
woodpecker
Images copyright by Mark A. Chappell
These red-bellied wookpeckers were photographed at Honeymoon Island Park and Lighthouse Park on Sanibel Island, both in southern Florida. They are sitting on long-leafed pines or on palms -- common perches and nest sites for these birds in Florida. Males have somewhat more red on the heads than females (upper right), but both sexes are attractive, noisy birds. Although there is a little bit of hard-to-see red color on the underside, I have no idea why they are called 'red-bellied' woodpeckers, instead of a more useful name like 'red-capped' or 'red-naped' woodpeckers.
