Spot-breasted Woodpecker

Colaptes punctigula

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesForestCavity nestMedium · 62 g

What the Spot-breasted Woodpecker sounds like

Sonogram of the Spot-breasted Woodpecker: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Hugo Oliveros-Salas · Call · Baranoa, Atlantico, Colombia · CC0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

The spot-breasted woodpecker is 18 to 21 cm (7.1 to 8.3 in) long and weighs 50 to 79 g (1.8 to 2.8 oz). Males and females have the same plumage except on their heads. Adult males of the nominate subspecies C. p. punctigula have a black forehead and forecrown and a red hindcrown and nape. They are white from their lores around the eye to the nape with a red malar stripe below it. Their chin and throat are black with white spots. Adult females have red only on the very back of the crown. Voice: The spot-breasted woodpecker has a large vocal repertoire. It includes "high-pitched weak and nasal 'wha' or 'kah' or 'keeh' in series", a series of "peek" notes in alarm, a "whew" whistle when courting or challenging a rival, a series of "ta-wick" or "week-a" calls in display, a "fast series of 'wick' notes", and "low soft 'pee-ya' calls at intimate meetings" between a pair.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Spot-breasted Woodpecker

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is May, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Spot-breasted Woodpecker

Regular range

The map shades 10 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

About the Spot-breasted Woodpecker

The spot-breasted woodpecker or spot-breasted flicker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Panama and every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

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

Easily confused with

Side by side: Crimson-mantled Woodpecker vs Spot-breasted Woodpecker · Chilean Flicker vs Spot-breasted Woodpecker

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