Red-crowned woodpecker
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Melanerpes rubricapillus

The red-crowned woodpecker (Melanerpes rubricapillus ) is a resident breeding bird from southwestern Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas and Tobago.

Appearance

The adult is 17 cm (6.7 in) long and weighs 55 g (1.9 oz). It has a zebra-barred black and white back and wings and a white rump. The tail is black with some white barring, and the underparts are pale buff-brown. The male has a red crown patch and nape. The female has a buff crown and duller nape. Immature birds are duller, particularly in the red areas of the head and neck.

Show More

Although this species is very similar in appearance to the golden-fronted woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons ) and the Yucatan woodpecker (Melanerpes pygmaeus ), its distribution does not overlap with either of these species.

Show Less

Distribution

Geography

This woodpecker occurs in forests and semi-open woodland and cultivation. It nests in a hole in a dead tree or large cactus. The clutch is two eggs, incubated by both sexes, which fledge after 31–33 days.

Red-crowned woodpecker habitat map
Red-crowned woodpecker habitat map
Red-crowned woodpecker
Attribution-ShareAlike License

Habits and Lifestyle

Lifestyle
Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

Red-crowned woodpeckers feed on insects, but will take fruit and visit nectar feeders.

Show More

This common and conspicuous species gives a rattling krrrrrl call and both sexes drum on territory.

Show Less

Population

References

1. Red-crowned woodpecker Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-crowned_woodpecker
2. Red-crowned woodpecker on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22680850/168646628
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/700770

More Fascinating Animals to Learn About