Cream-colored Woodpecker

Overview

The cream-colored woodpecker (Celeus flavus) is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae found across most of mainland South America, excluding Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It is currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, although its population is believed to be decreasing.

Identification

• Mostly yellowish plumage, varying from pale creamy yellow to sulfur-yellow, with a long crest and black tail.
• Adult males possess a bright red malar stripe, while females lack this red marking.
• Measures 24 to 27 cm in length, with a yellowish bill, red or red-brown iris, and dark gray to green-gray legs.
• Vocalises with a high-pitched laugh described as 'wutchuk kee-hoo-hoo-hoo' or 'pueer, pueer, purr, paw'.

Habitat

This species inhabits a variety of humid forest landscapes, often near water, including the interior and edges of rainforest, várzea, and swamp forest. It also occurs in human-altered landscapes such as cacao plantations, typically at elevations below 400 m but ranging up to 700 m.

Diet

The primary diet consists of ants and termites, supplemented by smaller amounts of fruits and seeds. It forages generally at the forest's lower to middle levels, though it will also feed in the canopy and on the ground, often in pairs or small groups. It captures much of its prey by breaking into arboreal nests.

Did you know?

The subspecies of this bird intergrade extensively, producing numerous intermediates such that in much of its range many individuals are impossible to assign to a particular race, making geographical limits somewhat arbitrary.