Some birds are named for obvious physical markings – Black-headed Grosbeak, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, etc. However a few end up with names that make one think that the feature included in the name should be easily visible while it is in fact rarely seen.
Case in point: the Red-bellied Woodpecker, shown here using a wonderful image submitted to the Wingscapes Photo Gallery by BirdCam aficionado David in Cary, NC. A result of studying mounted bird specimens in the lab rather than live ones in the field, the pale red “wash” for which the bird is named is far less visible than its brilliant red head.
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