Red-stained Woodpecker

Overview

The red-stained woodpecker (Dryobates affinis) is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found across Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, primarily inhabiting the interior of tall rainforests.

Identification

• Length of 15 to 18 cm with a weight of 32 to 44 g.
• Upperparts are mostly yellowish green with red feather tips and pale yellow streaks; underparts are light cinnamon-buff with dark olive-brown bars.
• Males of the nominate subspecies have a red crown with black feather bases, whereas females possess a dark olive-brown crown.
• Features a longish blackish beak with a paler mandible and legs that are olive green to green-gray.

Habitat

This species primarily occupies the interior of tall rainforests, though it also occurs less frequently at forest edges, in secondary forest, and scrublands. It inhabits elevations ranging from 100 to 1,300 m depending on the location, with specific limits in countries such as Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

Diet

The bird feeds on arthropods and fruit, foraging mainly from the forest's mid-level to the canopy, although it descends lower at forest edges. It typically forages singly but regularly joins mixed-species feeding flocks and follows army ant swarms.

Did you know?

Despite its name, the bird is not highly vocal; its primary vocalisation consists of a series of up to approximately 10–14 high-pitched nasal 'ghi' or 'kih' notes.