Redbellied Woodpeckers
are one of the year-round residents in my yard, and they are cherished because of their goofy personality and their stunning looks. There appear to be several males around. All are once again beautiful after the molt, and there are some subtle ways I can tell them apart. In these photos, you can see that one has a more pale red spot right above the beak. The other one is all vibrant there. You can also see a bit of the name-giving “red belly”. I have always enjoyed seeing them up close because there is so much going on color-wise, from the red eyes to the blushed cheeks, the differently shaded chest to the black and white back. Another way to tell them apart is to watch them drink. One of them produces a lot of saliva, while the other does not.
