Bird lovers are well aware of the charms of woodpeckers. Though we mostly get Downy, Nuttall's, Red-breasted and Acorn woodpeckers (with the occasional Pileated) here in the Bay Area, there are of course woodpeckers found throughout the world. And you might be surprised to find just how exotic they can be. Today's blog is devoted to some of the more colorful woodies we might never see in person but can at least enjoy wonderful photos of. I am not a woodpecker expert so the brief notes for each woody are culled from the internet.
Banded woodpecker. It is found in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.
Great Spotted woodpecker. Found in Eurasia and North Africa. Great spotted woodpeckers chisel into trees to find food or excavate
nest holes, and also drum for contact and territorial advertisement.
Yellow-fronted woodpecker. Nope, this isn't a 'fake' photograph. These guys really do look like this. They're found in Brazil, Paraguay and NE Argentina. Their natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forests. They are a fairly common bird with a wide range and its conservation status has been classified as "least concern."
Imperial woodpecker. The world's largest woodpecker (22" in length). Owing to its similarity in appearance to the Ivory-billed woodpecker, it is sometimes called the Mexican Ivorybill. This large and conspicuous bird has long been known to the native inhabitants of Mexico.
Lewis's woodpecker. Unlike other American woodpeckers, it enjoys sitting in the open as
opposed to sitting in heavy tree cover. It ranges mostly in the western
to central United States but can winter as far south as the US border. Lewis's woodpecker engages in some rather un-woodpecker-like behavior in
its gregarious feeding habits. Although it does forage for insects by
boring into trees with its chisel-like bill, the bird also catches
insects in the air during flight, a habit that only a few other woodpeckers, such as the Acorn, Redheaded and Northern Flicker, engage in.
Banded woodpecker (second photo and additional notes). The banded woodpecker feeds singly or in pairs, foraging unobtrusively
among vines and dense cover as well as higher in the canopy, probing
into crevices, moss and epiphytes. Its diet consists of ants,
their eggs and larvae, as well as other small invertebrates
Black-headed woodpecker. An uncommon woodpecker of the northern coniferous forests, its breeding range is boreal forests across Canada, Alaska and the northern U.S. states. It prefers burned-over sites, moving from place
to place, following outbreaks of wood-boring beetles in recently burned
habitats. It is also known as the Arctic Three-toed woodpecker.
Blond-crested woodpecker. Nope, this gorgeous creature is not a 'bottle blonde.' It is widely distributed throughout eastern
Brazil and south into Paraguay and Argentina. It has three recognized
subspecies and could possibly be split into more as ornithologists learn
more about this poorly studied bird. It eats fruits and berries, making this bird an
important seed disperser, though its main diet is tree ants and termites.
Chestnut-colored woodpecker. The natural habitat of this handsome fellow is the subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests of Central America. Its plumage appears very dark, with many V-shaped black marks on rich chestnut above
and below. Its crested head is creamy brown, its bill greenish ivory. Males sport noticeable red markings, that being a broad
mustache mark, part of an ear patch and sometimes on the lores.
Chestnut-colored woodpecker. Here's a closer photo.
Cream-colored woodpecker. My favorite! Celeus flavus is unmistakably recognizable by its pale but distinct yellow plumage and beak, long erect crest,
dark brown wings and black tail. The male is identified by its thick bright red malar stripe. This South American native gets to 12" long. It displays interesting vocalizations. It emits a high-pitched laugh: "wutchuk
kee-hoo-hoo-hoo" or "pueer, pueer, purr, paw" with the final note in a
lower pitch. During interaction with other bird species, it may repeat
"kiu-kiu-kiu-kiu".
Crimson-mantled woodpecker. My second favorite, mainly for the rich reds it displays. Most Neotropical species of woodpecker have plumages that predominately
are brown, olive, or black, but the Crimson-mantled Woodpecker is a
spectacular exception to this general trend. The upper parts are
bright red, with a prominent white patch on the sides of the head, and
the lower breast and belly are yellow. This species occurs in humid
montane forests of the Andes from northwestern Venezuela south to
Bolivia. Fortunately for bird lovers, it is fairly common, though spotting it may be difficult as it is
relatively quiet and inconspicuous in behavior.
Greater Flame-back woodpecker. Gets the Woody Award for the coolest name! Large for a woodpecker (15"), it features an erect crest and a long neck. Coloration is highly variable between subspecies, though it always displays unmarked golden-yellow to dark brown back and wings. It has a red rump and black tail, while the underparts are white with dark
markings (chevrons, stripes, or bands). The striking head is
whitish with a black pattern. The
straight pointed bill is longer than its head and – like the legs
and four-toed zygodactl feet – lead-grey
Greater Yellownape woodpecker. This cool customer is found in the forests of the
Himalayas to eastern India and Sumatra. This large, olive green woodpecker features a prominent yellow-crested nape and
throat. Wings are dark olive green with grey underparts. Flight
feathers are chestnut barred with black. In the breeding
season they perch on dead trees, and peck on them, making a loud sound
(drumming) heard throughout the forest.
Grey and Buff woodpecker. Don't look too long at this woodpecker's back or you'll get dizzy! This woodpecker is native to tropical southeastern Asia. It is usually seen singly or in pairs, but
sometimes occurs in mixed species flocks foraging in the canopy. It
mainly feeds by gleaning rather than by drilling into the wood, the diet
consisting of insects and fruit, including mistletoe berries.The birds roost communally at night in shallow holes they excavate near each other in the dead wood.
Helmeted woodpecker. This woody is endangered due to habitat loss in its native NE Argentina and SE Brazil regions. They sport long bills (1.5") that are wide
at the base and shaped like a chisel. Their head, lores and ear coverts
are cinnamon-coloured, brightening to red on the crown and crest. The
mantle, wings, upper back and nape are brown-black, the lower back is
cream and the underparts barred black and cream. The red crest, black back, and barred underside of the helmeted
woodpecker resemble those of two larger woodpeckers, Lineated woodpecker and Robust woodpecker, a form of mimicry which helps prevent attacks by other animals.
Hispaniolan woodpecker. This distinctive woody is endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.
The back is covered in yellow and black stripes. Males have a dark red
crown and nape while in females, the red color is restricted to the
nape. The tail base is brilliantly red while the tail itself is black. This woodpecker is quite vocal, emitting a range of sounds including
yapping, squeaking, rolling and nasal calls. Drumming is done only
occasionally..
Kaempfer's woodpecker. If you're going to have a woody named after you, this cute guy seems like a good choice. The head and remiges are mainly rufous-chestnut, the underparts and back are buff, the wing-coverts are barred in black and buff and the chest and tail are uniform black. The male has a red malar and mottling on its crest. It is native to Brazil and only seen in small numbers. It appears to be dependent on dense woodlands, often along rivers and much like its closest relative, the Rufous-headed woodpecker, it is a bamboo specialist.
Lita woodpecker. This smaller (8") woody is found in humid and wet forests as well as in lowlands and foothills of Western Colombia and NW Ecuador. Both males and females have a large yellow facial patch and a red head patch which extends to the crown on males. Their main vocalization is a hissing “shreeyr” or “peessh.” Not a lot is known about this woody, due in part to its small numbers.
Red-headed woodpecker. This strikingly tri-colored species, with a black back and tail, red
head and neck and white underparts, is native to southern Canada and the northeastern part of the U.S. Interestingly, adult males and females are identical in plumage. These birds hunt insects, whether flying or on the ground, forage on trees or gather and store nuts. They are omnivorous, eating insects, seeds, fruits, berries, nuts, and occasionally even the eggs of other birds. About two thirds of their diet is made up of plants. They nest in a cavity in a dead tree, utility pole or the dead part of a tree.
Here's one final shot of the colorful Yellow-fronted woodpecker.
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