The holes they excavate in dead trees, poles and fence posts are used by bluebirds, wrens, chickadees and titmice to name but a few. Male red-bellied woodpeckers are medium sized birds that have red caps and hind necks, black and white barred backs and tails. Their belly feathers are off white with a reddish tinge.
Females are similar to males but lack the red hind neck.
Red-bellied woodpeckers usually nest 2 or 3 times during a season. Eggs are white and 1 inch long. Most red-bellies remain year round. In urban areas their nests are often taken over by starlings after they have finished building them. They excavate a new nest hole each time they renest during the season.