Melanerpes chrysauchen
The Golden-naped Woodpecker (Melanerpes chrysauchen) is a strikingly colored, medium-sized member of the Picidae family, typically measuring 19-21 cm (7.5-8.3 inches) in length and weighing around 65-70 grams. Its most prominent features include a brilliant golden-yellow nape, starkly contrasting with glossy black upperparts and a distinctive white patch on its lower back or rump, which is particularly visible in flight. Males are easily identified by a prominent red crown extending from the ...
Found primarily in humid evergreen forests, forest edges, and semi-open woodlands, especially in the foothills and lower montane regions. It generally inhabits elevations between 300 to 1200 meters above sea level.
Primarily feeds on insects, including ants, beetles, and their larvae, which it extracts from tree bark and wood. It also consumes a significant amount of fruit, berries, and occasionally nectar.
The Golden-naped Woodpecker is a diurnal species, active from dawn to dusk, diligently foraging for food and roosting securely within tree cavities at night. Its foraging repertoire includes gleaning insects from bark surfaces, probing into crevices for hidden larvae, and occasionally making aeri...
The Golden-naped Woodpecker is a resident species, primarily inhabiting the humid evergreen forests of lower Central America. Its known distribution extends from the Caribbean slope of northern Costa Rica, south through both the Caribbean and Pacific slopes of Costa Rica, and into western Panama....
Least Concern
- The Golden-naped Woodpecker's vibrant golden-yellow nape is a crucial field mark and gives the species its common name. - Unlike many *Melanerpes* species known for storing acorns, the Golden-naped Woodpecker focuses more on insect foraging and fruit consumption. - Its distinctive black-and-whi...