Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Leuconotopicus borealis
Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of North America.
Found across 15 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis) is a member of the Picidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 48 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Picidae Woodpeckers
- Genus Leuconotopicus
- Species borealis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 48 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis) belongs to the Picidae family of the order Piciformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA se USA.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 48 g, with a wing length of about 11.7 cm and a tail of around 8.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 604,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-cockaded Woodpecker?
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 48 g.
Where does the Red-cockaded Woodpecker live?
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is found across North America with a range covering NA se USA, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Red-cockaded Woodpecker belong to?
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Red-cockaded Woodpecker eat?
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-cockaded Woodpecker migrate?
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-cockaded Woodpecker endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Red-cockaded Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-cockaded Woodpecker's range?
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 604,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Suet Feeders for Woodpeckers
How to choose a suet feeder for woodpeckers — the styles compared, why a tail prop helps, and how to keep starlings off. A decision framework with the woodpecker species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Picidae
A field guide to the Picidae family — 239 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.