Black-necked Woodpecker
Colaptes atricollis
Handsome woodpecker found only in the Peruvian Andes. Solid black throat and heavily barred upperparts separate it from the otherwise similar Golden-olive Woodpecker. Male has entirely red crown and mustache; female has red only on hind crown. Found in a variety of habitats, but most common in arid areas with tall columnar cacti; avoids dense forest. Vocalizations include drawn-out whinnies and single “pew” notes.
Identification
The black-necked woodpecker is 26 to 27 cm (10 to 11 in) long and weighs 73 to 90 g (2.6 to 3.2 oz). Males and females have the same plumage except on their heads. Adult males of the nominate subspecies are dark gray from forehead to forecrown and red on the hindcrown and upper nape; the gray often has red feather tips. They are yellowish white from their lores around the eye to the nape with a red malar stripe below it and a black chin and throat. Adult females have red only on the hindcrown and their malar is blackish. Both sexes have bronze-green upperparts with narrow blackish bars; both colors are paler on their rump and uppertail coverts. Their flight feathers are dark brown with yellowish barring and olive-yellow shafts. Their tail is dark brown; the central feathers and the outer web of the outermost pair have paler barring. Their breast is black and the rest of their underparts are pale yellow with black bars. Their longish bill is black with a paler base, their iris brown to chestnut-brown, and the legs green-gray. Juveniles are generally duller than adults and have a darker face; the top of their head is often red with dark bars, their malar mixed black and red, and the upper- and underparts' barring is more diffuse. Subspecies C. a. peruvianus is smaller than the nominate with a shorter bill. Its upperparts are paler but more heavily barred and its underparts are both paler and less barred.
Taxonomy
The black-necked woodpecker was originally described as Chrysopicos atricollis. It was later placed in genus Chrysoptilus but since about 2007 it has been moved into Colaptes by taxonomic systems.<p>The black-necked woodpecker has two subspecies, the nominate C. a. atricollis (Malherbe, 1850) and C. a. peruvianus (Reichenbach, 1854).
- Scientific name
- Colaptes atricollis
- Authority
- (Malherbe, 1850)
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Picidae
- Genus
- Colaptes
Range and habitat
The nominate subspecies of black-necked woodpecker is found on the west slope of the Peruvian Andes between the departments of La Libertad and Tacna. Subspecies C. a. peruvianus is found on the east slope of Peru's Andes from the valley of the Marañón River south into Huánuco Department. The species inhabits a variety of semi-arid to arid landscapes including drier cloudforest, montane scrublands with cacti, desert scrublands, and deciduous woodlands. It also occurs in riparian woodlands, orchards, plantations, and gardens. On the western slope it is mostly found at elevations between 500 and 2,800 m (1,600 and 9,200 ft) but occurs locally as high as 4,000 m (13,100 ft). In the Marañón Valley it is found between 1,700 and 4,300 m (5,600 and 14,100 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Buff-faced Scrubwren
Aethomyias perspicillatus
A very small, drab bird of montane forest understory. Pale brown underparts, dark brown upperparts, Gray from the crown to upper back widening to a half-collar. Distinct buff face forming a disk around the eye. Found in active groups or mixed flocks, where it gleans leaves for insects. Similar to Large Scrubwren but Buff-faced is often found higher in the trees, is smaller with a buff eye-ring and gray crown. Song, an up-and-down, whistled “poo-pii-poo-pii-poo-pii!” and call, a nasal “rek!”.
Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird
Anthreptes orientalis
A fairly small sunbird with an unusually short, warbler-like bill. The male has an iridescent violet head and back, while the female has brownish upperparts, white underparts, and a white eyebrow. Found in dry thorn savanna and thorn scrub, often in pairs. Very similar to Western Violet-backed Sunbird, but in the area of overlap, Eastern is separated by the male’s turquoise rather than violet rump, and by the female’s pure white rather than yellow-tinged belly. Also similar to Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird, but found in different habitats, and separated by the white rather than gray underparts of the male and the white eyebrow of the female. Vocalizations include a scolding mew and a high-pitched jumbled song.
White-browed Antbird
Myrmoborus leucophrys
Small, short-tailed antbird with a bold eyebrow. Male is slaty gray with gleaming white eyebrow. Female is brown above and white below with a black face and an orange eyebrow. Found in young forests and forest edges, skulking in dense undergrowth alone or in pairs. Listen for a long series of harsh, descending whistles.
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