Surprize Visitor – Red-headed Woodpecker

The red-headed woodpecker is the most aggressive of the woodpeckers and is found south of Michigan and generally east of the Mississippi River.  The red-bellied woodpecker is often confused with the red-headed woodpecker since it is much more common in Michigan and is found year round.  It has red on the top of its head. The red on the male extends all the way to his beak.  In contrast the red-headed woodpecker has a completely red head, not just on the top.  In the summer time it may be possible to find the red-headed woodpecker in Michigan and the plains states. There have been recent sitings of the red-headed woodpecker in the Muskegon, Michigan area. Herein is posted a photograph of a red-headed woodpecker ‘shot’ by Larry Houseman in Muskegon. Note its red head compared to the female red-bellied woodpecker peaking over the top of these blogs and the male red-bellied woodpecker posted here.