Golden-naped Woodpecker
Melanerpes chrysauchen
Medium-sized woodpecker, distinctive in its limited range. Buffy below and black above, with barred black-and-white flanks. White stripe runs down center of back. Head pattern distinctive: black mask, yellow forehead, red crown, and yellow nape. Female similar but has black, not red, on crown. Most similar to Black-cheeked Woodpecker but no range overlap; also compare Hoffmann’s and Red-crowned Woodpeckers (but note Golden-naped’s solid black wings, not barred, and black mask). Found singly or in pairs, usually in forested areas and edges.
Identification
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. The lower breast, belly and flanks are barred in black and white, and there is a red patch on mid-belly. The mantle is mainly black and the wings brownish, with the tips of the flight feathers white. The back and rump are mainly white, sometimes blotched with black, and the tail is black with white barring on the outer feathers. The iris is brown, the beak is greyish-black and the legs are greyish-olive.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Melanerpes chrysauchen
- Authority
- Salvin, 1870
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Picidae
- Genus
- Melanerpes
Range and habitat
Endemic to Central America, the golden-naped woodpecker is restricted to the Pacific slopes of southwestern Costa Rica and western Panama, at altitudes ranging from sea level to about 1,500 m (5,000 ft). It is a forest species found in primary humid rainforest, especially open areas with tall trees, woodland edges, secondary forests and plantations and degraded areas in close proximity to natural forest. It is a non-migratory species.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The diet of the golden-naped woodpecker consists largely of fruit, including dates, bananas, figs and Cecropia fruits. The bird also forages on tree trunks for insects such as beetle larvae, and particularly at dusk, sallies high in the air to catch winged termites and other flying insects. The nest is made in a hole in a tree. The breeding season is between March and June, and occasionally there may be two broods in the season.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Dull-capped Attila
Attila bolivianus
Big-headed flycatcher of humid rainforest midstory. Rich red-brown with a slightly grayer head and pale eye. Perches with upright posture and appears rather stocky, with a short tail, large head, and heavy bill. Pale eye and fairly dark plumage help distinguish it from other attilas, as does voice. Listen for a rising series of whistles, usually finished with a lower note: “weer, weer, weer, weer, woo”; sounds melancholy, without the upbeat, double-syllable note phrasing of Bright-rumped Attila.
Plain White-eye
Zosterops hypolais
This small warbler-like bird is unremarkable in appearance, but surely not the plainest of the white-eyes; look for a pale eye with a very narrow white eyering, grayish upperparts, and contrasting pale yellow throat. Endemic to the island of Yap, in the Western Caroline Islands of Micronesia, where it inhabits a wide range of forested and brushy habitats. The only other white-eye on the island, Yap White-eye, is dark olive-brown overall and has a much more prominent eyering. Forages actively in flocks. Gives high-pitched, scratchy trills and chirrups, comparable to parakeet and sparrow calls.
Slender-billed Gull
Chroicocephalus genei
Medium-sized gull with a long, slender bill. Breeding adult has a clean white head and dark red bill, and frequently shows a strong rosy-pink flush to the underparts. Non-breeding adult similar, but may show slight smudge on the head. Immature has orange bill with small brown patches on the wings, most readily seen in flight. Compare with Black-headed Gull; note Slender-billed's longer bill, sloping forehead, and "snouty" profile. Breeds in colonies in inland and coastal wetlands, but restricted to coastal wetlands when not breeding. Away from main range, found singly or in pairs, at times in association with much commoner Black-headed Gull.
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