***Federal - MBTA***

    Red-headed Woodpeckers are the least common and least commonly seen of all of the state's woodpeckers with the possible exception of Three-toed and Black-backed.  They have declined considerably in the northeast, but were probably never overly abundant.  They frequent open areas, such as pastures and orchards with stands of dead or dying trees in which they make their nests.  Most people refer to any of the woodpeckers as Red-headed, because their is some red on the head of most of them, but the species pictured above is the true Red-headed Woodpecker.  They can be differentiated by the red covering all sides of the head, the lack of a crest,  and the bold contrasting solid white and black coloration of the wings.  Juveniles are similar but have dark brown heads.  European Starlings often usurp Red-headed Woodpecker nests and may be contributing to the decline of the species.