Go Find It!

Look for red-headed woodpeckers along forest edges and in savannas, city parks, and backyards. For more on this boldly colored bird, fly over to mdc.mo.gov/field-guide.

Red-Headed Woodpecker

Kickstand Tail

Woodpeckers prop their strong, stiff tail feathers against tree trunks for balance.

Home Sweet Hole

Woodpeckers raise their babies in holes they hammer into trees.

Helmet Head

A spongy skull absorbs the shock of a woodpecker’s pounding. The brain is packed tightly inside so it doesn’t slosh around.

Hardcore Hoarder

Red-headed woodpeckers hide acorns — in tree cavities, holes in fence posts, and rain gutters — to eat during winter.

Gray “Haired” Youngsters

Young woodpeckers don’t get a striking red head until their second year of life. Until then, their heads are gray.