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Crimson-crested Woodpecker - BirdForum Opus

(Redirected from Campephilus melanoleucos)
Male
Photo by Rogerio Araújo Dias
Brasilia, Brazil,
Campephilus melanoleucos

Identification

It is identified by the white stripe running down the side of its neck and forming a V on its black back. Its underparts are buff barred with black.
The male has an almost totally red head with a black and white spot on the cheek while the female has the broad white stripe extending from the side of the neck across the cheek to the bill and black front extending back on the crown.

Distribution

Central and South America: found in Panama and Trinidad to Argentina (east of the Andes).

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Female, demonstrating the V on the back
Photo by André Adeodato
Brazil, February 2009
(click on image to view larger version)

Two subspecies are recognized[1]:

  • C. m. malherbii:
  • C. m. melanoleucos:

An additional subspecies cearae is not generally recognised[2].

Habitat

Forests and more open woodland, gallery forest, always in lowland and mostly humid to wet.

Behaviour

Breeding

The two white eggs are laid in a nest hole in a dead tree. Both adults incubate the eggs.

Diet

They can make quite large holes in trees during their search for insects and larvae. The also eat berries.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Avibase
  3. bjornolesen

Recommended Citation

External Links


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