Rare red-headed woodpecker spotted in Pittsburgh area

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Birdwatchers are flocking to North Park, hoping to catch a glimpse of the rare red-headed woodpecker. 

"It's kind of funny, most people call all woodpeckers red-headed woodpeckers, but this one is truly the red-headed woodpecker," said Jim Bonner, the executive director for the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania.

The 8- to 9-inch woodpecker is elegant, sleek and extremely rare. Bonner says they're on the watch list. 

"Over the past 50 years, they've been losing about one percent of their population every year," Bonner said. 

He says they prefer decaying trees and open spaces and North Park has both. 

"They're particularly fond of larger trees, ideally some that have dead branches or dead parts to them often referred to as snags, because that is what they excavate and live in," he said. 

Bonner says each woodpecker species has its own tapping pattern, so keep your eyes and ears open, but know you won't be alone. 

"I got a couple of calls from people that have also been seeing them. One gentleman in Ross has them coming to his feeder, he was particularly proud of that, which he should be. It's a great bird to have coming to your yard, and I was jealous because I don't have one coming to my feeders," Bonner said. 

Bonner also says if you have any old trees in your yard that aren't causing any problems, leave them there and you may get a visit from a red-headed woodpecker.