What has happened to the red-headed woodpeckers?
Although they used to be abundant here and friends say they see them all the time, I think they’re looking at flickers or red-bellied woodpeckers. R. B. (Bradenton, Florida) You may be right about your red-headed friend. Red-headed woodpeckers are declining seriously throughout their range, particularly in the eastern portion. There has been a decline of more than 50% in the population over the last 25 years, but no one knows for sure why that has happened. Two suggestions are (a) the cutting down of forests in the southeast and (b) the competition with starlings for nest holes.
