CLOSED: Some kind of Woodpecker

Hello all!
I am new to "trying" to ID birds and get their pics. Could someone tell me what type woodpecker this is. It just showed up today at my wreath feeder and I don't know what type it is.
George

Hi daylilydaddy, You have a female Red-bellied Woodpecker.

The males have all red across the top part of the head.

Heres info and pics on them.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red-bellied_Woodpecker.html

This message was edited Mar 8, 2008 10:45 PM

Thanks Pelletory!!
Now I know what to look for. One more question for ya. What is the really big woodpecker that looks to be the size of a small chicken and when it flies makes a very loud tropical bird sound. We have lots of these, but I can't get a pic. They fly higher in the trees and my poor little camera can't get a good pic. I get to watch them all the time here in my hollar.
George

Pileated Woodpecker??

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Pileated_Woodpecker.html#fig1

Could be it, but it seemed to be larger and its call was more "raspy" sounding. It looked like it. Maybe mine was a female. Maybe they are larger??
George

The Pileated is the largest of the NA Woodpeckers .

Maybe your talking about the Northern Flicker.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Flicker.html

Hey pelletory!
I think for sure its the Pileated Woodpecker. The sound it makes is pretty much dead on it. I usually see it flying more than being still, so i think it prob. looks like the Pileated more than the flicker.
THANKS!!
George

No problem! :-)

Pelletory, isn't the Ivory-billed woodpecker larger than the Pileated?

Yes, your right. He's saying he's seeing lots of these woodpeckers so I wasn't including the Ivory-billed since there are very few but yes your correct. :-)

Oooh, more Pileated envy here!

daylilydaddy-- do the woodpeckers like your suet set-up? Very interesting.

LOL pelle, if you ever see an Ivory-billed try to get a good photo of it and you'll be very popular :)

Hey Tabasco!!
They really seem to go at it. Sharran (sharon) that has popped in a couple of times on the ORV coffee thread wrote an article for DG about how to make the bird feeder wreath and how to make the suet mix. I have lots of vining plants and make wreaths with them for people, so I just made a "put together one" and added pine cones to stuff the suet in. I have tons of birds visit it all the time. It is attached to a tree in the front garden in perfect view of my "couch seat". I have another one in back garden with a perfect view out kitchen window. I love the nature look of it and watching the birds get their footing on wreath and tree trunk.
George

I guess I missed the article Sarran wrote. Maybe I can look it up. Thanks.

Me too, here it is:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/409/

Oh, thank you, Mrs_Ed. A very nice article and good suet recipe, too!

I need one of those for my yard, too!

Tabasco
Those little wreaths I made have been the greatest thing to watch this winter. The birds preferred it to the store bought feeders. I think it has a more "natural" look for them. I have to load my wreath about twice a week. I make up the suet mix in the shortening container and keep it in fridge and take it out a few hours before loading wreath to soften it a bit. I do add a bit more seed than the recipe call for. I buy the cheap stuff at the dollar store. They have all the ingredients and it cost nothing really to give the birds a good treat.
George

Thanks, daylilydaddy. I'll give them a try. I have some viney twigs around here and I can weave something together for the a nice wreath.

I have some pretty good suet in the fridge right now that might work too.

One thing I think she didn't add, but I do is pine cones. I attach them to the wreath with floral wire and use the cones that have opened up really nice. You can mash more suet mix in these.
George

That does sound nice, like how the kids make those pine cones with suet/seed. I'm going to try this. I have tons of grapevine available. And I'd like to watch birds through the summer this year, which I never really did. We always put the feeders away when the bugs showed up. It will be nice to add some fruit to this. Speaking of which, do any birds like cranberries? I would think maybe robins? I've had some out for a while and I don't think any takers.