From Opus

Melanerpes aurifrons

Male
Photo by cfagyal
Location: Roma, on the Rio Grande in southern Texas, USA, April 2004

[edit] Identification

9 1/2" (24 cm). Barred with black and white above and buff below, nape orange; forecrown yellow; female lacks red on crown, but has orange nape. It is the most commonly observed woodpecker in much of Mexico and northern Central America.

[edit] Voice

Loud churrrr. Call a burry chuck-chuck-chuck.

[edit] Similar Species

Red-bellied Woodpecker, but male has red restricted to cap (though red extends right down the nape in some subspecies of Golden-fronted Woodpecker, to the south of the range of Red-bellied Woodpecker, which is found in the eastern U.S.).

[edit] Distribution

Resident from southwestern Oklahoma and central Texas down through Mexico and all of northern Central America to Nicaragua.

Female
Photo by PhilM
Location: Benson SP, in the Rio Grande Valley, southern Texas, USA, April 2004

[edit] Taxonomy

The species name aurifrons is Latin for "gold-fronted" Ten subspecies occur throughout its range, mainly varying in the amount of yellow and red on the head. A hybrid zone occurs with the closely related Hoffmann's Woodpecker in southern Honduras. Some authors have suggested that they should be considered as one species. Other authors have suggested treating some of the subspecies as separate species.

[edit] Habitat

Open woods in dry country and river bottoms with trees.
This familiar woodpecker is common in the parks and shade trees of central and west Texas towns and cities.

[edit] Behaviour

Nesting 4 or 5 white eggs in holes in mesquite trees, poles, and posts.

[edit] External Links