Veniliornis nigriceps
The Bar-bellied Woodpecker, *Veniliornis nigriceps*, is a striking medium-sized member of the family Picidae, inhabiting the humid montane forests of the Andes. Measuring approximately 18-20 cm (7-8 inches) in length and weighing 40-50 grams, it presents a distinctive appearance crucial for identification. Its upperparts are a uniform dark olive-green to blackish-green, contrasting sharply with its heavily barred underparts—off-white to buff, crisscrossed with dark olive-brown, giving rise to...
Found in humid montane and cloud forests, often with bamboo thickets, typically between 1,000 to 3,700 meters (3,300 to 12,100 feet) in elevation.
Primarily feeds on insect larvae, beetles, ants, and other invertebrates found within or under tree bark and decaying wood. Occasionally consumes berries.
The Bar-bellied Woodpecker is a diurnal and generally solitary or pair-bonded species, often encountered foraging actively in the mid-story and subcanopy of montane forests. Its foraging strategy primarily involves gleaning and probing for insects and larvae on smaller branches, twigs, and vines,...
The Bar-bellied Woodpecker is a resident species distributed along the Andes mountain range in South America. Its breeding range extends from central and western Colombia, south through the eastern Andes of Ecuador and Peru, and continuing into western Bolivia. These populations are generally sta...
Least Concern
- The "bar-bellied" moniker perfectly describes its unique underpart plumage, which is heavily streaked with dark olive-brown bars. - Unlike many woodpeckers that favor large tree trunks, the Bar-bellied Woodpecker frequently forages on smaller branches and even vines, gleaning insects from their...