Veniliornis callonotus
The Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, *Veniliornis callonotus*, is a strikingly colorful member of the Picidae family, primarily found in the humid lowlands of western South America. Measuring approximately 15-18 cm (6-7 inches) in length, this relatively small woodpecker is instantly recognizable by its brilliant scarlet back and olive-green wings. Males boast a vibrant scarlet crown and nape, contrasting with a black forehead, while females display a black crown finely streaked with white, retaini...
This woodpecker primarily inhabits subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests, including mature woodlands, heavily degraded secondary forests, plantations, and gallery forests, often found near rivers or water bodies. It typically occurs at elevations ranging from sea level up to 800-1000 met...
Its diet consists predominantly of insects and their larvae, including ants and termites, which it gleans and probes from bark and crevices, supplemented occasionally by small amounts of fruit.
The Scarlet-backed Woodpecker is an active, diurnal forager, often observed individually or in pairs, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks alongside tanagers, antwrens, and other insectivores. It typically forages on the smaller branches, twigs, and vines within the mid-story and subcanopy, uti...
The Scarlet-backed Woodpecker is endemic to the humid lowlands of western South America, with its primary breeding range extending from southwestern Colombia, through western Ecuador, and into the extreme northwestern reaches of Peru (Tumbes region). Its distribution is largely confined to the Pa...
Least Concern
- Despite its vibrant plumage, the Scarlet-backed Woodpecker is often considered somewhat inconspicuous due to its relatively small size and quiet foraging habits. - Unlike many larger woodpeckers that heavily excavate, this species primarily gleans insects from bark surfaces and probes into crev...