Woodpeckers family Picidae
Woodland
Medium | Large
Forest preserve hotspots hotspots •
Fort Sheridan (Lake Forest)
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Middlefork Savanna (Lake Forest)
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Rollins Savanna (Grayslake)
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Ryerson Conservation Area (Riverwoods) Downy woodpecker Dryobates pubescens
Hairy woodpecker Dryobates villosus
Northern flicker Colaptes auratus
Pileated woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
Red-bellied woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
Red-headed woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Yellow-bellied sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
Species Showcase Red- bellied woodpecker
This medium-sized woodpecker isn’t very well-named. The red patch on the bottom of the belly is quite faint. More noticeable are the black-andwhite bars on the back and wings, and the red-capped head. Females have a red nape on the back of their neck. Males have a continuous red nape and crown. Red-bellied woodpeckers communicate loud and often. Their rolling, raspy churrrr call is reminiscent of someone talking with a hoarse voice after a concert. Drumming their pointed bills on trees, utility poles or even metal gutters is another communication method. Males can drum up to 19 times per second. 22
Pileated woodpecker