Helmeted Woodpecker (Celeus galeatus) | Photos and ID

VUVulnerableInvertebrates

ForestCavity nestMedium · 124 g

Helmeted Woodpecker (Celeus galeatus), photo 1 — Photo: Marcelo Schmidt Roberti · CC BY 4.0

Helmeted Woodpecker (Celeus galeatus), photo 2 — Photo: vinicius_s_domingues · CC BY 4.0

Helmeted Woodpecker (Celeus galeatus), photo 3 — Photo: Nathan Ruser · CC BY 4.0

Helmeted Woodpecker (Celeus galeatus), photo 4 — Photo: Nicolas Olejnik · CC BY 4.0

Helmeted Woodpecker (Celeus galeatus), photo 5 — Photo: Hugo Hulsberg · CC0

Helmeted Woodpecker (Celeus galeatus), photo 8 — Photo: (c) Nathan Ruser, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Helmeted Woodpecker (Celeus galeatus), photo 9 — Photo: no rights reserved · CC0

Helmeted Woodpecker (Celeus galeatus), photo 10 — Photo: (c) Marcelo Schmidt Roberti, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

ID tip

The helmeted woodpecker is about 25 cm (9.8 in) long with a 31.5 to 35 mm (1.2 to 1.4 in) bill, and weighs about 124 to 150 g (4.4 to 5.3 oz). Both sexes have a cinnamon face with a long red crest. The sexes differ only on their heads: Adult males have a red malar patch that extends down to the sides of the throat and around the back of the head to meet the crest. Females have the red crest but no other red on their head. Both sexes have a black throat and hindneck with a vertical white stripe between them on the side of the neck.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Helmeted Woodpecker

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 10 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is August, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Helmeted Woodpecker

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 3 countries with regular records, and 1 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Brazil Argentina Paraguay

Recorded as a rare visitor in Canada.

About the Helmeted Woodpecker

The helmeted woodpecker is a Vulnerable species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Kaempfer's WoodpeckerCeleus obrieniKaempfer's woodpecker is 26.5 to 38 cm (10 to 15 in) long and weighs 85 to 105 g (3.0 to 3.7 oz).

Rufous-headed WoodpeckerCeleus spectabilisThe rufous-headed woodpecker is about 26 to 28 cm (10 to 11 in) long.

Ochre-backed WoodpeckerCeleus ochraceusThe ochre-backed woodpecker is about 25 to 27 cm (9.8 to 11 in) long.

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