Bird Guide

Golden-naped Woodpecker vs Yellow-fronted Woodpecker

Golden-naped Woodpecker (Melanerpes chrysauchen)

Golden-naped Woodpecker

Melanerpes chrysauchen

Small52 gForest

The golden-naped woodpecker grows to a length of about 18 cm (7 in). It is similar in appearance to the beautiful woodpecker but their ranges do not overlap. The sexes are similar apart from the male having a yellow fore-crown and a red central-crown, while the whole crown of the female is yellow except for a narrow central transverse black band. Both sexes have a yellow nape, and a black mask surrounding the eyes and running to the nape. There is a small white patch behind the eye. The lores, cheeks, chin, throat and breast are pale yellow, buff or grey.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Jensyn Scott · CC BY 4.0
Yellow-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes flavifrons)

Yellow-fronted Woodpecker

Melanerpes flavifrons

Small58 gForest

This colourful woodpecker is about 18 cm (7 in) long. The sexes are similar apart from the male having a red crown and nape, while this region in the female is bluish black. Both have a yellow fore-crown, cheeks, chin, and throat, and a broad, black band running from the base of the beak, across the eye to the nape. The mantle and upper wings are mainly black, and the back and rump are white. The tail is black with some white barring on the outer feathers. The breast is grey or olive, the belly red, and the flanks barred in black and white or black and buff.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Hugo Hulsberg · CC0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Golden-naped Woodpecker and Yellow-fronted Woodpecker.