Piculus callopterus
The Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker (Piculus callopterus) is a captivating resident of Central American humid forests, measuring approximately 17-18 cm (6.7-7.1 inches) in length. Its plumage is predominantly olive-green on the upperparts, transitioning to a yellow-green with faint barring on the flanks and belly. The most distinctive field marks are found on its head: males sport a bright red crown and nape, complemented by a white supercilium and a prominent black stripe extending from behind the...
Inhabits humid foothill and lower montane evergreen forests, including mature secondary growth. Typically found at elevations ranging from 400 to 1,500 meters (1,300-4,900 feet) above sea level.
Feeds predominantly on ants and their larvae, which it skillfully extracts by probing into crevices and gleaning from tree bark and decaying wood. Also consumes other small invertebrates found on tree surfaces.
Primarily diurnal, the Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker spends its days actively foraging, methodically working its way up tree trunks and branches, and likely roosts in tree cavities at night. It employs a foraging strategy of probing into bark and rotten wood for insects, as well as gleaning invertebr...
The Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker is an endemic resident of the humid foothill and lower montane forests of central and eastern Panama and extreme eastern Costa Rica. Its distribution is somewhat disjunct, primarily occupying the Caribbean slopes of the Cordillera de Talamanca in Costa Rica and exten...
Least Concern
- The Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker is one of the smaller members of the *Piculus* genus, which comprises several species of vibrant green woodpeckers. - Its scientific name, *callopterus*, means "beautiful wing" in Greek, though its most striking features are undoubtedly its boldly patterned head an...