{"id":114101,"date":"2023-07-03T01:31:06","date_gmt":"2023-07-03T07:31:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=114101"},"modified":"2023-07-03T02:38:52","modified_gmt":"2023-07-03T08:38:52","slug":"young-red-bellied-woodpecker-learning-to-peck-wood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/07\/03\/young-red-bellied-woodpecker-learning-to-peck-wood\/","title":{"rendered":"Young Red-bellied Woodpecker Learning To Peck Wood"},"content":{"rendered":"

I photographed this young Red-bellied Woodpecker last month in Arkansas. I was visiting my dear friend and fellow photographer, Steve Creek<\/span><\/a>. I had photographed this woodpecker earlier when the male parent was still feeding it.<\/p>\n

\"YoungYoung Red-bellied Woodpecker pecking wood \u2013 Canon R7, f11, 1\/1000, ISO 1000, -1.0 EV, Canon RF 800 mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Adult Red-bellied Woodpeckers help their young after they leave the nest by feeding them for about 5 to 6 weeks. While I was in Arkansas, I witnessed this immature woodpecker starting to search for food on its own. It would come to the suet feeder but also foraged in the nearby trees. In this image, it was pecking at the bark of a pine tree.<\/p>\n

It was a thrilling experience for me to observe the young woodpecker learning to find food, feed itself, and witness its growth.<\/p>\n

I captured this photo from Steve’s deck using his Canon RF 800mm on his Canon R7.<\/p>\n

I have taken many more photos of this immature woodpecker, and I plan to share more about it in the future.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Red-bellied Woodpecker photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I photographed this young Red-bellied Woodpecker last month in Arkansas. I was visiting my dear friend and fellow photographer, Steve Creek.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":114098,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13950,27,13997,13951],"tags":[5772,4897,13981,4141,4067,13998,14081,5540,13999,2315,8018,8594,4777,2146,13966,4193],"class_list":["post-114101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arkansas","category-avian","category-red-bellied-woodpeckers","category-sebastian-county","tag-baby","tag-branch","tag-feeder","tag-fledgling","tag-immature","tag-melanerpes-carolinus","tag-pecking","tag-pine","tag-red-bellied-woodpecker","tag-summer-3","tag-urban","tag-wood","tag-woodpecker","tag-woodpeckers","tag-yard","tag-young"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/red-bellied-woodpecker-young-pecking-wood-mia-mcpherson-1671.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-tGl","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":133219,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/08\/27\/young-red-bellied-woodpecker-on-a-hot-summer-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":114101,"position":0},"title":"Young Red-bellied Woodpecker On A Hot Summer Day","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 27, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning, I'm sharing two photos of a young Red-bellied Woodpecker that I photographed two days ago. I'm so very delighted to be seeing this species again.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Red-bellied Woodpecker on a wooden post, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-bellied-woodpecker-immature-mia-mcpherson-5253.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-bellied-woodpecker-immature-mia-mcpherson-5253.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-bellied-woodpecker-immature-mia-mcpherson-5253.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-bellied-woodpecker-immature-mia-mcpherson-5253.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":130360,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/07\/09\/immature-red-bellied-woodpecker-portraits\/","url_meta":{"origin":114101,"position":1},"title":"Immature Red-bellied Woodpecker Portraits","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 9, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning, while waiting for the first rain bands from Hurricane Beryl, I sat on Steve Creek's deck to photograph this immature Red-bellied Woodpecker.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Red-bellied Woodpecker portrait, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/red-bellied-woodpecker-immature-mia-mcpherson-0184.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/red-bellied-woodpecker-immature-mia-mcpherson-0184.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/red-bellied-woodpecker-immature-mia-mcpherson-0184.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/red-bellied-woodpecker-immature-mia-mcpherson-0184.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":131685,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/08\/02\/hatch-year-red-bellied-woodpecker-with-prey\/","url_meta":{"origin":114101,"position":2},"title":"Hatch year Red-bellied Woodpecker With Prey","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"After I photographed the Ruby-throated Hummingbird I shared yesterday, I focused on a hatch year Red-bellied Woodpecker with some kind of prey in their bill.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Hatch year Red-bellied Woodpecker, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-bellied-woodpecker-immature-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-8336.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-bellied-woodpecker-immature-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-8336.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-bellied-woodpecker-immature-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-8336.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/red-bellied-woodpecker-immature-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-8336.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":113822,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/06\/17\/young-red-bellied-woodpecker-with-an-adult-close-up\/","url_meta":{"origin":114101,"position":3},"title":"Young Red-bellied Woodpecker With An Adult Close Up","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 17, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I'm sharing a close up photo of a young Red-bellied Woodpecker with an adult taken in my good friend Steve Creek's yard at a feeder.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Red-bellied Woodpecker with an adult, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/red-bellied-woodpeckers-male-young-mia-mcpherson-5387.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/red-bellied-woodpeckers-male-young-mia-mcpherson-5387.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/red-bellied-woodpeckers-male-young-mia-mcpherson-5387.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/red-bellied-woodpeckers-male-young-mia-mcpherson-5387.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":149717,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/06\/29\/summer-male-red-bellied-woodpecker-portrait\/","url_meta":{"origin":114101,"position":4},"title":"Summer Male Red-bellied Woodpecker Portrait","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"It was around this time last summer that I photographed this adult male Red-bellied Woodpecker. I saw him practically every day at the feeders.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Red-bellied Woodpecker in summer, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/red-bellied-woodpecker-male-summer-mia-mcpherson-7443.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/red-bellied-woodpecker-male-summer-mia-mcpherson-7443.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/red-bellied-woodpecker-male-summer-mia-mcpherson-7443.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/red-bellied-woodpecker-male-summer-mia-mcpherson-7443.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":138939,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/01\/23\/snowy-portraits-male-red-bellied-woodpecker\/","url_meta":{"origin":114101,"position":5},"title":"Snowy Portraits: Male Red-bellied Woodpecker","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The snowfall earlier this month in Arkansas provided many opportunities for me to photograph various bird species, including this male Red-bellied Woodpecker.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Red-bellied Woodpecker close up in a snowstorm, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/red-bellied-woodpecker-male-snow-winter-mia-mcpherson-7772.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/red-bellied-woodpecker-male-snow-winter-mia-mcpherson-7772.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/red-bellied-woodpecker-male-snow-winter-mia-mcpherson-7772.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/red-bellied-woodpecker-male-snow-winter-mia-mcpherson-7772.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114101","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114101"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114101\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}