Campephilus haematogaster
The Crimson-bellied Woodpecker, *Campephilus haematogaster*, is a striking, large Neotropical woodpecker, measuring approximately 33-35 cm (13-14 inches) in length and weighing around 200-280 grams. Its robust build and magnificent plumage make it instantly recognizable. Both sexes share a predominantly glossy black body with a dramatic, contrasting crimson belly and lower flanks, hence its common name. A prominent white scapular stripe on the back further breaks up the dark plumage, and a lo...
Found in humid evergreen forests, including lowland and foothill forests, and pre-montane cloud forests, typically ranging from sea level up to 1,500 meters (occasionally higher).
Feeds primarily on wood-boring beetle larvae and ants, which it extracts by excavating deep into dead or decaying tree trunks and branches.
Crimson-bellied Woodpeckers are diurnal, spending their days actively foraging and roosting in tree cavities at night. They employ powerful drilling and flaking techniques to excavate deep into dead or decaying wood, primarily targeting wood-boring insect larvae. Their territorial behavior involv...
The Crimson-bellied Woodpecker has a disjunct distribution across humid Neotropical forests. The northern population, subspecies *C. h. haematogaster*, is found in eastern Panama (Darién province), western Colombia along the Pacific slope and lower Magdalena Valley, and extending into northwester...
Least Concern
- The Crimson-bellied Woodpecker's scientific name, *haematogaster*, literally translates from Greek to "blood-belly," a direct nod to its striking plumage. - It is one of the largest woodpecker species in its Neotropical range, rivaled only by a few other *Campephilus* species. - Despite its viv...