_Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Case 3, Figs. 21, 22; Case 6, Fig. 43_
Adults of both sexes have the whole head red;
young, during their first winter, have the head
grayish brown, and a black band across the white
wing-feathers. L. 9-3/4.
_Range._ Eastern United States, west to Rockies;
local east of the Alleghanies and north of
Pennsylvania.
Washington, rather common S.R., rare W.V.
Ossining, rare P.R., common in fall, Aug. 27-Oct.
12. Cambridge, irregular at all seasons; sometimes
common in fall. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl.
20-Sept. 25; occasionally winters. Glen Ellyn,
common S.R., Feb. 19-Nov. 6; a few winter. SE.
Minn., common S.R., Apl. 4-Sept. 17; rare in
winter.
Adding to the normal habits of a Woodpecker marked skill as a
flycatcher, the Red-head stops his grub-hunting and swings out after a
passing insect with a dazzling display of red, white and blue-black.
Noisy as he is conspicuous, he beats his log-drum, rolls a tree
toad-like _krrring_, or, with tireless persistency utters a whistled
croak. In the northeastern states Red-heads are distributed irregularly.
They are rarely common in the summer, but in the fall they sometimes
appear in numbers. Whenever they come we are soon aware of their
presence.
The nest is generally in a dead tree; the 4-6 white eggs are laid in
May.