This familiar, eastern U.S. woodpecker is an active and vocal species, with a preference for humid forests dominated by pines or hardwoods, or a mixture of both. It seldom excavates wood for insects; instead, depending on season, it forages opportunistically for a wide range of fruit, mast, seeds and arboreal arthropods. It is also known to take small or young vertebrate prey as well. The Red-bellied Woodpecker has expanded its range northward and westward in the latter half of the twentieth century. Most populations are resident year-round, although northern birds show some seasonal movement by retreating south during cold winters. In the southeastern United States, it is the most abundant woodpecker; in the northern half of its range, it is much less common. This woodpecker does well in urban settings, but also occurs in more remote, wilderness sites. Its generalistic foraging and nesting habits have helped in its range expansion.

Many aspects of the life history of this species have been well studied. The basis for what is known comes mainly from Bent, A. C. (1939). Life histories of North American woodpeckers. U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. no. 174. Close Bent 1939, Short, L. L. (1982). Woodpeckers of the world. Monogr. Ser. 4, Greenville: Delaware Mus. Nat. Hist. Close Short 1982, and Kilham, L. (1983a). Life history studies of woodpeckers of eastern North America. Publ. Nuttall Ornithol. Club no. 20:1-240. Close Kilham 1983a . Excellent theses on general ecology ( Boone, G. C. (1963). Ecology of the Red-bellied Woodpecker in Kansas. Master's Thesis, Univ. of Kansas, Lawrence. Close Boone 1963, Stickel, D. W. (1963b). Natural history of the Red-bellied Woodpecker. Master's Thesis, Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale. Close Stickel 1963b, Breitwisch, R. J. (1977). The ecology and behavior of the Red-bellied Woodpecker, Centurus carolinus (Linnaeus; Aves: Picidae), in south Florida. Master's Thesis, Univ. of Miami, Coral Gables, FL. Close Breitwisch 1977) and foraging ( Towles, D. T. (1989). A comparative analysis of the foraging behavior of male and female Red-bellied Woodpeckers (Melanerpes carolinus) in central Kentucky. Master's Thesis, Eastern Kentucky Univ., Richmond. Close Towles 1989) exist. More specific descriptions are available regarding habitat ( Williams, J. B. (1975c). Habitat utilization by four species of woodpeckers in central Illinois woodland. Am. Midl. Nat. no. 93:354-367. Close Williams 1975c, Conner, R. N. (1980). Foraging habitats of woodpeckers in southwestern Virginia. J. Field Ornithol. no. 51:119-127. Close Conner 1980, Conner, R. N., S. D. Jones and G. D. Jones. (1994). Snag condition and woodpecker foraging ecology in a bottomland hardwood forest. Wilson Bulletin no. 106 (2):242-257. Close Conner et al. 1994, Shackelford, C. E. (1994). Habitat characteristics of woodpeckers in pine and mixed pine-hardwood forests in eastern Texas. Master's Thesis, Stephen F. Austin State Univ., Nacogdoches, TX. Close Shackelford 1994, Shackelford and Conner Shackelford, C. E. and R. N. Conner. (1996). Woodland birds in three different forest types in eastern Texas. Bull. Tex. Ornithol. Soc. no. 29:11-17. Close Shackelford and Conner 1996, Shackelford, C. E. and R. N. Conner. (1997). Woodpecker abundance and habitat use in three forest types in eastern Texas. Wilson Bull. no. 109:614-629. Close Shackelford and Conner 1997), breeding (Kilham Kilham, L. (1961c). Reproductive behavior of Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Wilson Bull. no. 73:237-254. Close Kilham 1961c, Kilham, L. (1977c). Nest-site differences between Red-headed and Red-bellied woodpeckers in South Carolina. Wilson Bull. no. 89:164-165. Close Kilham 1977c, Stickel, D. W. (1965a). Territorial and breeding habits of Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Am. Midl. Nat. no. 74:110-118. Close Stickel 1965a, Jackson, J. A. (1976a). A comparison of some aspects of the breeding ecology of Red-headed and Red-bellied woodpeckers in Kansas. Condor no. 78:67-76. Close Jackson 1976a, Ingold Ingold, D. J. (1989). Nesting phenology and competition for nest sites among Red-headed and Red-bellied Woodpeckers and European starlings. Auk no. 106:209-217. Close Ingold 1989, Ingold, D. J. (1989). Nesting phenology and competition for nest sites among Red-headed and Red-bellied Woodpeckers and European starlings. Auk no. 106:209-217. Close Ingold 1989, Ingold, D. J. (1991). Nest-site fidelity in Red-headed and Red-bellied woodpeckers. Wilson Bull. no. 103:118-122. Close Ingold 1991), hybridization ( Gerber, D. T. (1986). Female Golden-fronted Woodpecker or mutant female Red-bellied Woodpecker? Am. Birds no. 40:203-204. Close Gerber 1986, Smith, J. I. (1987c). Evidence of hybridization between Red-bellied and Golden-fronted woodpeckers. Condor no. 89:377-386. Close Smith 1987c), range expansion ( Forsberg, S. (1982). Red-bellied Woodpecker in Cook County. Loon no. 54:135. Close Forsberg 1982, Haas, F. C. (1987b). Recent range expansion and population increase of the Red-bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus) in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Birds no. 1:107-110. Close Haas 1987b, Maddux, E. H. (1989). Have the Northern Cardinal and the Red-bellied Woodpecker expanded their ranges in Nebraska recently, 1968-1987? Nebr. Bird Rev. no. 57:87-92. Close Maddux 1989, Jowsey, J. R. (1992). Red-bellied Woodpecker sightings at Saltcoats. Blue Jay no. 50:78. Close Jowsey 1992, Dales, B. and G. Dales. (1992). Red-bellied Woodpecker at Coleville, Saskatchewan. Blue Jay no. 50:27-28. Close Dales and Dales 1992) and foraging ( Willson, M. F. (1970). Foraging behavior of some winter birds of deciduous woods. Condor no. 72:169-174. Close Willson 1970, Gamboa, G. J. and K. M. Brown. (1976). Comparative foraging behavior of six sympatric woodpecker species. Proc. Iowa Acad. Sci. no. 82:179-181. Close Gamboa and Brown 1976, Askins, R. A. (1983). Foraging ecology of temperate-zone and tropical woodpeckers. Ecology no. 64:945-956. Close Askins 1983).

The Red-bellied Woodpecker's nutrition, physiology, and short-range movements remain little studied. It does not appear to be a species of concern; much of its population is either stable or increasing.