Visit Valparaiso, IN, the Vale of Paradise, to take on the Birds of Paradise sculpture scavenger hunt beginning in 2022. Visit Valparaiso to hunt down the clues needed to find all 10 native birds species throughout downtown.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
A female Red-bellied Woodpecker lacks the complete red crown.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers are common, medium sized woodpeckers found throughout Indiana. They can bring bright colors and entertaining action to bird feeders. If you live near any wooded patches, you may be able to attract them using feeders filled with suet (in winter), peanuts, and sunflower seeds. As their name implies, they have a reddish wash on the far underside of their belly, though it’s usually not very noticeable. Conversely, the red crown and black-and-white checkered back are their most notable features.
For birds that nest in cavities, nest holes are precious turf. Red-bellied Woodpeckers have been known to take over the nests of other birds. But more often they’re victims to the aggressive European Starling. As many as half of all Red-bellied Woodpecker nests in some areas get invaded by starlings.
Do you want to hear a Red-bellied Woodpecker? Click Here.
