Stephen,
   Yes, they do hawk insects which is one of their dangerous habits. They also like to pick up insects on the road. In my foray on Thursday, in addition to the live Red-headed Woodpeckers I saw, I also found one road kill at a well-known nesting area on Keysville Road in NW Carroll County. I have found other road kills in past years so it is not a unique phenomenon.

--
Bob Ringler 
Eldersburg MD 


-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Stephen Horvath <> 

> On my way to work this morning I found a Red-headed Woodpecker. The 
> Woodpecker was on Route 109 headed south right before the farm in Comus. I 
> saw it and turned around and it was in a snag the 35 mph speed limit sign was 
> right in front of me. The Woodpecker catching insects which leads me to a 
> question. Do Red-headed Woodpeckers hawk insects more than other 
> Woodpeckers? Is that even what they are doing? I first noted this behavior at 
> Calvert Cliffs and is probably the only way I found this one this morning when 
> it flew straight up and landed on the same perch. This is my first Red-headed 
> Woodpecker I have seen in Montgomery county very exiting! 
>