Colaptes mexicanoides
The Guatemalan Flicker, *Colaptes mexicanoides*, is a strikingly marked medium-sized woodpecker, measuring approximately 28-32 cm (11-12.5 inches) in length with a wingspan of 42-48 cm (16.5-19 inches) and weighing 100-160 grams (3.5-5.6 oz). Its plumage is characterized by a barred brown back, black-barred white underparts, and a gray head with a distinctive red nuchal crescent (on the back of the neck). Males are distinguished by a prominent red malar stripe (mustache), which is absent in f...
Primarily found in pine-oak woodlands, cloud forests, open montane forests, and often adapts to disturbed areas like coffee plantations and clearings, typically at elevations between 1,000 and 3,000 meters.
Feeds predominantly on ants and beetles, often foraging on the ground; also consumes other insects and occasionally berries or seeds.
Guatemalan Flickers are largely diurnal, spending their days actively foraging and communicating, often roosting in tree cavities at night. Their primary foraging strategy involves hopping on the ground, probing for ants and other insects with their specialized barbed tongue, a behavior more comm...
The Guatemalan Flicker is a resident species primarily found in the highlands of Mesoamerica, extending from Oaxaca and Chiapas in southern Mexico, through the mountainous regions of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, and south into northern Nicaragua. Its distribution is continuous throughout...
Least Concern
- The Guatemalan Flicker is one of the few woodpecker species that spends a significant amount of time foraging on the ground, primarily for ants. - Its scientific name, *mexicanoides*, hints at its historical classification, meaning "like the Mexican" (referring to a previous subspecies of North...