Very gentle thankfully!

As with almost every sentient life form on Earth, and especially birds and mammals: Food. With mammals and some reptiles, petting can also help.

This will earn the friendship of almost any animal on Earth. Or make you their next meal - apex predators are kinda tricky and usually need to be raised from young (then they’ll be cuddly too).

I was at a Metropark where a lot of people visit the bird trails with seed in their pocket, so I think it’s familiarity.

It’s a red-bellied woodpecker, and this is one of the rare photos that shows why! Usually you can’t see their belly when they perch on trees.