Golden-fronted woodpecker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Golden-fronted woodpecker |
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| A male from the northern subspecies group at Roma, Texas | |
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Melanerpes
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| Species: |
aurifrons
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The golden-fronted woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) is a cool bird found in North America. It's a type of woodpecker, known for pecking holes in trees. These birds love living in places with lots of mesquite trees, forests near rivers, and even tropical rainforests. You can find them from Texas and Oklahoma in the United States, all the way south through Mexico, to Honduras and northern Nicaragua. Long ago, in 1884, people noticed that these woodpeckers were very common in the lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas.
What's in a Name?
Scientists use genetic information to understand how different animals are related. Recent studies show that the golden-fronted woodpecker might actually be two different groups.
The birds found more to the north are called "true" golden-fronted woodpeckers. They are more closely related to the red-bellied woodpecker.
The birds found more to the south, from eastern Mexico to Nicaragua, are a bit different. Scientists think this group, called santacruzi, should be its own species. It is sometimes called Velasquez's woodpecker.
Building a Home
The golden-fronted woodpecker builds its nests in a similar way to the red-bellied woodpecker. They often choose tall trees like pecan, oak, and mesquite for their homes. This is common in the United States and northern Mexico.
Sometimes, they get creative! They might use fence posts, telephone poles, or even bird boxes to make their nests.
What They Eat
Golden-fronted woodpeckers enjoy a varied diet. They eat both insects and plant-based foods.
More than half of the insects they eat are grasshoppers. They also munch on other bugs like beetles and ants. For their plant-based meals, they like corn, acorns, wild fruits, and berries.
Gallery
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from the Mexican Boundary Survey
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Male in flight, Texas
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A "Velasquez's" golden-fronted woodpecker (M. a. dubius) from the Yucatán.
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"Velasquez's" golden-fronted woodpecker preying on a scorpion in Belize
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See also
In Spanish: Pájaro carpintero cheje para niños
