Red-headed woodpecker

Fully adult red-headed woodpeckers are unmistakable — no other North American woodpecker has a solid crimson hood all the way down the neck. This one was working a dead limb along the river, alternating between hammering and pausing to look around, which gave just enough of a still moment for a clean profile.

Why it matters

Red-headed woodpeckers have declined significantly across much of their range as dead trees get cleared and competition from starlings for nest cavities has increased, so a river corridor with standing snags like this one is genuinely valuable habitat for them.

Getting the shot

Shot in profile against the lichen-covered bark, which gave enough tonal separation from the black-and-white plumage without competing with the red. Waited out a few minutes of hammering for the pause.