I recently had a delightful encounter with a Red-bellied Woodpecker in my yard while trying to capture some photographs of this charming bird. Although I noticed the Woodpecker near my bird-feeder, it wasn’t sticking around for long because all I had in the feeder was sunflower seeds, which are not their favorite food.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers prefer nuts, fruits, and insects, so I quickly swapped the sunflower seeds for raw almonds in the feeder. Before long, the almonds attracted the Red-bellied Woodpecker, and I was able to get a close-up shot of this bird with an almond in its beak.
Did you know that Red-bellied Woodpeckers have barbed tongues that are ideal for reaching insects hidden deep inside trees? They also use their long tongues to lick sap from trees, which is a valuable source of nutrients for them.
If you are lucky enough to have a Red-bellied Woodpecker visit your bird-feeder, be sure to offer it a variety of foods. This will help to ensure that the bird stays healthy and happy.
Gear Used:
- Camera: Canon EOS R7
- Lens: Canon RF 100-500 mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Technical:
- Location: Lavaca (Arkansas)
- Date and Time Taken: April 28, 2023 (07:52 A. M.)
- Aperture: f8
- Shutter speed: 1/640
- ISO: 3200 (Auto)
- Focal Length: 500 mm
I have never heard of this bird but he is very pretty. Thanks for sharing.
Love your photos! I’m just learning a little about birds and am partial to my woodpeckers. I Need to vary their diet I guess.