We put out oranges and it's amazing how many birds like them. Here's a Red-bellied Woodpecker I photographed in FL, coming to oranges. There's more red on its head than belly, but it was still named Red-bellied Woodpecker. A great way to offer oranges, or even other fruit, is to use a suet basket feeder, like the one in the photo. Red-bellied Woodpeckers are not at all common here in NH and we have only seen them on our property several times, but there's some indication they may be expanding their range into here. That would be nice, they're such a handsome and rather tame woodpecker.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Orange Treat
We put out oranges and it's amazing how many birds like them. Here's a Red-bellied Woodpecker I photographed in FL, coming to oranges. There's more red on its head than belly, but it was still named Red-bellied Woodpecker. A great way to offer oranges, or even other fruit, is to use a suet basket feeder, like the one in the photo. Red-bellied Woodpeckers are not at all common here in NH and we have only seen them on our property several times, but there's some indication they may be expanding their range into here. That would be nice, they're such a handsome and rather tame woodpecker.
6 comments:
I just got a couple of pics of a Red Bellied Woodpecker this morning, on my elderberries. Not as good as yours. Guess I need to put out some oranges. I'll be posting them this week.
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I love the way you captured this red-bellied using his tail for support. Also, has he been "digging" into the oranges a lot? His head looks more orange than red. :)
First timer to our yard this year! Got some nice pics. He was on our suet cage for most of the time. Very pretty.
Also had my first Northern Flicker here today. He was eating ants in my front yard! Got pics, too.
I never knew that RBW's eat oranges, I'll have to try that to see if he'll come back!
We've had a Red Bellied Woodpecker at our suet feeder here in Alton for a while now. Very pretty and does seem docile. He won't fight for a space at the feeder. He waits patiently for his turn.
Here in the Saratoga region of upstate NY, red-bellies are becoming a more common occurence. Personally, I had my first visit my yard on New Years Day this year, stay a day, and not return. Hope it's not the last visit!
Thanks for the heads up on their affinity for oranges.
We have a resident red-bellied woodpecker who loves our suet. Last week we had a flock of starlings taking over the whole bird garden, making their awful squawking noises. But our brave red-bellied stood up to the one on "his" suet feeder. He actually HISSED at the starling! It was amazing. Alas, the starlings won the battle for territory. I'm hoping a break from suet feeding will lose the starlings but not all our favorites (nuthatches, other woodpeckers, bluejays, etc.).
Have you ever seen such behavior from a bird?
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