Red-bellied woodpeckers sighted in Holden, Orono Birds rare north of Massachusetts, but range expanding

In last week’s column I promised to talk about additional birds I’d seen at Kidney Pond, but recent sightings in the Bangor area prompted me to digress a little.

It started with an e-mail from Al and Linda Curran, in Holden, who wrote in to report that a red-bellied woodpecker was visiting their yard. Then, later that day I received a post from the Maine Bird Alert -another red-bellied woodpecker has been visiting a yard in Orono.

The Currans were delighted with the bird and had made some astute observations, which they shared with me:

“We have been THRILLED to be able to watch this beautiful bird for several days running. He may disappear for a few days but returns to grace us with his beauty. … The woodpecker does not appear to like suet but loves sunflower seeds, black-oil. He will land on the feeder and put the seed into a crack and break it open. He and the blue jays will go beak to beak for the seeds. He can hold his own with the jays.”

Considering jays are often thought of as backyard bullies that monopolize food and drive other birds away, this is significant; and it is an observation noted by others. “The Birds of North America” species account states that “red-bellied woodpeckers are usually near the top of the hierarchy at feeding stations, about equal to blue jays but displacing other species.”

The sightings of this bird are also significant, because they are uncommon this far north. The bulk of their range tends to be more southerly, reaching up into Massachusetts in the East. However, the BNA states it has been extending its range steadily northward and westward since the mid-to-late 20th century. This is due in part to this bird’s tendency to be a habitat and foraging generalist – it doesn’t adhere to strict requirements for food and nesting sites. The maturation of northeastern forests and the increase of backyard feeding stations are also factors, according to the BNA account.

Even the bird’s name is significant, if only for the fact that it is something of a misnomer. In the field, the only readily seen red coloration is on the bird’s head (there is already a red-headed woodpecker, so that name was out). The actual red “belly” is limited to a light crimson wash between and behind its legs. You’d practically have to be holding the bird upside-down in your hands to see its “red belly.”

The Currans ended their correspondence with a question: Do red-bellied woodpeckers travel around as mated pairs? The answer is yes, depending upon what time of the year it is. According to the BNA account, territorial boundaries dissolve at the end of the breeding season. At this time pairs may share foraging areas. Come autumn, the pair bond breaks and each establishes its own territorial boundaries. However, the BNA also states that pair bonds are formed at any time of the year, from late winter to early spring – so it appears to depend upon the individual birds.

Although I’m aware of sightings of red-bellied woodpeckers elsewhere in Maine, I don’t know of any reports of them breeding here, so I (and the Currans) would be interested to hear about any confirmed breeding pairs in the state.

NEWS bird columnist Chris Corio can be reached at bdnsports@bangordailynews.net