While there has been at least one red-headed woodpecker in the general area near home (oak-dominated woodlands in rural McDonough County, Illinois) all winter (2024-25 season), only recently has a woodpecker begun foraging from a feeder (black sunflower seeds and suet cakes) near the house. In fact, for about the last week (Feb. 10-17), it has started perching on the feeder or a tree near the feeder for long periods, often driving other birds away. I believe this woodpecker has adopted the feeder and nearby trees as an alternate winter territory to the one it had already established further away, or maybe even abandoned its original territory for the feeder.
Red-headed Woodpecker on feeder, McDonough Co., Illinois February 17, 2025.
Red-headed Woodpecker on feeder, McDonough Co., Illinois February 20, 2025.
Links to other red-headed woodpecker-related posts on this blog:
Red-headed Woodpecker Overwinters Within a Central Illinois Black Locust Stand
Record Count of Overwintering Red-headed Woodpeckers
The Missing Red-headed Woodpeckers of Sand Prairie-Scrub Oak Nature Preserve