Powerful Woodpecker

Overview

The powerful woodpecker is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae. It is a large bird found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

Identification

• About 32 cm in length with a long black chisel-shaped bill, white or pinkish-white irises, and dark gray legs.
• Adult males have red foreheads and crests, while females are black in these areas; both sexes feature a black and white face with a wide white band from the lores down the neck.
• Underparts are cinnamon-buff with black bars or chevrons, contrasting with a black breast center, black tail, and wings that are black with white tips and bars.
• Vocalisations include a nasal 'kyaaah' or 'peeyáw', a fast 'kikikikikawh' in flight, and a brief double-tap drum.

Habitat

The species inhabits the interior and edges of mature montane, humid, and wet forest, as well as cloudforest, secondary forest, and other open forest types. It ranges in elevation from 900 to 3,750 m, but is most commonly found between 1,700 and 2,600 m.

Diet

The bird forages at all levels of the forest interior, often in pairs, but no details of its diet are known.

Did you know?

Nests have been found in dead tree trunks, with incubation lasting at least 16 days and fledging occurring 34 to 37 days after hatch, suggesting both parents participate in incubation.