Patchily in south-eastern USA, from south-eastern Oklahoma and eastern Texas east to Atlantic coast: extends north to Kentucky and southern Virginia, south to central Louisiana, southern Mississippi and central Florida.
Population
Estimated population is 9,000 - 11,000 (2010) and decreasing.
Voice
A distinctive 'shrrit' is most commonly heard. Also a rattle and wide range of social twittering and chortles. Drumming is infrequent and not loud.
Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis) [XC237278]
by Paul Marvin from Starkville, Noxubee County, Mississippi, United States (call)
Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis) [XC828000]
by Dany Sloan from Lewis Ocean Bays Heritage Preserve, Horry County, South Carolina, United States (call)
Subspecies
Basal relationships with Strickland's Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus stricklandi), Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus) and White-headed Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus albolarvatus). Birds from central and southern Florida named as subspecies hylonomus on basis of smaller size, but unacceptable, since size decreases clinally from north to south.
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus) which usually lacks "ladder-backed" appearance and white cheek patch.
References
See References.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet