Xiphidiopicus percussus
The Cuban Green Woodpecker, *Xiphidiopicus percussus*, is a striking and charismatic species, Cuba's only endemic woodpecker and the sole member of its genus. This medium-sized woodpecker measures 23-28 cm (9-11 inches) in length and weighs between 48-97 grams, boasting a vibrant olive-green back and contrasting white underparts adorned with distinctive black barring on the flanks and a patch of yellow towards the vent. Its most notable field marks are its bold head pattern: males sport a bri...
Resident in a wide array of forested habitats across Cuba, including humid and dry broadleaf forests, pine forests, mangroves, and wooded gardens, from sea level up to 2000 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on beetle larvae, ants, and caterpillars extracted from wood, supplemented significantly by fruits and berries from native trees.
A diurnal species, the Cuban Green Woodpecker is typically observed singly or in pairs, foraging actively throughout the day. Its foraging strategy is diverse; it primarily drills into dead or decaying wood to extract beetle larvae and other arthropods, but also gleans insects from bark surfaces ...
The Cuban Green Woodpecker is entirely endemic to the island of Cuba and the adjacent Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth). Its distribution spans the entirety of the main Cuban island, from the westernmost provinces of Pinar del Río to the eastern tip in Guantánamo, including significant populati...
Least Concern
- The Cuban Green Woodpecker is the only woodpecker species truly endemic to Cuba, found nowhere else in the world. - It is the sole representative of its genus, *Xiphidiopicus*, highlighting its unique evolutionary divergence within the woodpecker family. - Its scientific name, *percussus*, aptl...