Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)
Also known asPic à tête rouge · Rotkopfspecht · Pica-pau-de-cabeça-vermelha · 红头啄木鸟 · ズアカキツツキ · دارکوب سرقرمز · رقاع أحمر الرأس · Красноголовый меланерпес · Burung Belatuk Kepala Merah · Roodkopspecht
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Our streaming copies are mirrored from the original xeno-canto file and transcoded to 96 kbps mono — a modification, so we note it here; the licence for each recording is named in its credit above.
3 recordings on this page · licensed CC BY-SA ×3 · mirrored on this server, free for commercial reuse · recorded in United States, Canada · xeno-canto lists 149 recordings for this species in total.
A real field recording of the Red-headed Woodpecker. Press play and focus on the rhythm and pitch of each phrase.
About the Red-headed Woodpecker
The red-headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) is a mid-sized woodpecker found in temperate North America. Its breeding habitat is open country across southern Canada and the east-central United States. It is rated as least concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s Red List of Endangered species, having been down-listed from near threatened in 2018. The red-headed woodpecker should not be confused with the red-bellied woodpecker, which is similar in size but has a vibrant orange-red crown and nape; the red-bellied woodpecker is named for the pale reddish blush of its lower belly and has a distinctly patterned black and white back rather than the solid black one of the red-headed woodpecker.
Ecology and behavior
As a member of Picidae, this bird is associated with forest, woodland edges, parks and large trees. It generally feeds by insects under bark plus seeds or sap in some species. These habits determine where the bird is easiest to observe and explain why a recording often gives the first clue to its presence. Recorded examples on this site are linked to United States. Local vegetation and weather can change the impression of the voice, but field identification still depends on the same evidence: the perch, surrounding cover and behavior of the calling bird.What to listen for
Drumming cadence and sharp or laughing calls are key. The available recordings are labeled as call. On the first listen, follow repetition and phrase length. On the second, decide whether the tone is clear, buzzy, burry, harsh, rounded or thin. On the third, trace pitch direction and the gaps between phrases. A strong field note describes the complete sound before naming the species. Note whether the bird stays hidden or uses an exposed perch, whether phrases accelerate, and whether the voice belongs to a boundary between two habitats. Those details make the recording useful during a real encounter. Compare the recording with the habitat immediately around you: the same phrase heard from dense cover, an exposed branch or an open edge can point toward different behavior. Returning to the phrase after a short pause makes the rhythm easier to remember and helps transfer the recording to field use.A field note on this voice
Listening context
The recordings shown here come from the United States. Because exact recording dates are not available for this conservative note, it is best not to treat any month or season as guaranteed. Local weather, latitude, habitat and breeding cycles can all change when a bird is most vocal. Use the region as a starting point, then look for supporting evidence in the field. Habitat, perch height, light conditions and observed behavior often provide more reliable context than a broad seasonal guess.
Time of day
The exact recording time is not available for this sample. Early morning is often a productive time to listen because many birds sing more regularly then and sound may carry well, but that is a general observation rather than a rule for this species. Birds may also vocalize later while feeding, moving through cover, interacting with nearby individuals or responding to disturbance. Listen for the same kinds of sounds at different times and compare the surrounding behavior.
What this vocalization may suggest
This page contains call. Songs are often longer, more structured and more repetitive than short calls. A clear phrase repeated at regular intervals can be associated with breeding activity or the defense of space, although the exact meaning should be confirmed by observation. Shorter or more abrupt notes may accompany movement, alertness or contact between birds. Changes in pace, volume or tone can sometimes reflect heightened interaction, while an evenly spaced delivery may simply be routine.
Understanding pitch
High notes do not automatically indicate courtship, and low notes do not necessarily signal alarm. Pitch works alongside rhythm, repetition, volume and tone. A high, clear phrase may be a territorial song, while high, irregular notes might suggest agitation; some low, soft sounds may simply help birds stay in contact. Rather than focusing on pitch alone, observe what the bird is doing before and after the sound. The most useful field note combines the voice with place, habitat, time and behavior.
Editor's note
These interpretations are intended as listening guidance based on the available recordings and context, not as proof of an individual bird's intent. When exact dates or times are unavailable, this note deliberately avoids claiming them. Strong observations record the date and time, habitat, perch height, weather and behavior before and after the vocalization.
Similar species
- Black-cheeked WoodpeckerMelanerpes pucheranirecording
- Acorn WoodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorusrecording
- Beautiful WoodpeckerMelanerpes pulcherprofile
- Gila WoodpeckerMelanerpes uropygialisprofile
- Golden-cheeked WoodpeckerMelanerpes chrysogenysprofile
- Golden-fronted WoodpeckerMelanerpes aurifronsprofile
- Golden-naped WoodpeckerMelanerpes chrysauchenprofile
- Grey-breasted WoodpeckerMelanerpes hypopoliusprofile
- Guadeloupe WoodpeckerMelanerpes herminieriprofile
- Hoffmann's WoodpeckerMelanerpes hoffmanniiprofile
Species grouped by shared genus, family and range. Family: Picidae.
More birds recorded in United States
- Greater PeweeContopus pertinaxprofile
- Greater Prairie ChickenTympanuchus cupidoprofile
- Greater RoadrunnerGeococcyx californianusprofile
- Greater ScaupAythya marilaprofile
- Green ParakeetPsittacara holochlorusprofile
- Green-tailed TowheePipilo chlorurusprofile
- Grey HawkButeo plagiatusprofile
- Grey-cheeked ThrushCatharus minimusprofile
Every species xeno-canto lists for this country is on the full United States list — 841 species, the ones with recordings marked ▶.