Golden-naped woodpecker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Golden-naped woodpecker |
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| Male, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica | |
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Melanerpes
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| Species: |
chrysauchen
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The golden-naped woodpecker (Melanerpes chrysauchen) is a colorful bird from the woodpecker family. It's very similar to the beautiful woodpecker, and some scientists even think they might be the same species! These birds, along with a few others, are sometimes grouped into a genus called Tripsurus.
You can find this woodpecker in Costa Rica and western Panama. It lives on the Pacific side of these countries. Its favorite places are moist lowland forests and areas where forests used to be but are now changing. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says this bird is of "least concern". This means it's not currently in danger of disappearing.
Contents
What the Golden-Naped Woodpecker Looks Like
The golden-naped woodpecker grows to be about 18 cm (7 in) long. It looks a lot like the beautiful woodpecker, but they live in different areas. This means you won't find them in the same place.
Male and female golden-naped woodpeckers look quite similar. However, there's a cool difference on their heads!
- The male has a yellow front part of its head and a red spot in the middle of its crown.
- The female has a yellow crown all over, except for a thin black stripe across the middle.
Both male and female birds have a yellow patch on the back of their neck, called the nape. They also have a black mask around their eyes that goes back to the nape. There's a small white spot right behind each eye. Their cheeks, chin, throat, and chest are a pale yellow, buff, or gray color.
Their lower chest, belly, and sides have black and white stripes. You'll also see a red patch in the middle of their belly. The top part of their back is mostly black, and their wings are brownish. The tips of their flight feathers are white. Their lower back and rump are mostly white, sometimes with black spots. Their tail is black with white stripes on the outer feathers. This woodpecker has brown eyes, a grayish-black beak, and grayish-olive legs.
Where They Live and Their Home
The golden-naped woodpecker lives only in Central America. You can find it on the Pacific slopes of southwestern Costa Rica and western Panama. It lives at different heights, from sea level up to about 1,500 m (4,900 ft) high.
This bird loves forests. It lives in humid rainforests, especially in open areas with tall trees. You can also spot it at the edges of woodlands, in newer forests that have grown back, and even in plantations. It likes places that are close to natural forests. This woodpecker does not migrate, meaning it stays in the same area all year round.
What They Eat and How They Live
The golden-naped woodpecker mostly eats fruit. This includes things like dates, bananas, figs, and fruits from Cecropia trees.
This bird also looks for insects on tree trunks. It especially likes beetle larvae. Sometimes, usually around sunset, it flies high into the air to catch flying insects. This includes winged termites.
The golden-naped woodpecker makes its nest in a hole it digs in a tree. The breeding season, when they have their young, is usually between March and June. Sometimes, they might even have two sets of babies in one season!
Conservation Status
Scientists haven't found any major threats to the golden-naped woodpecker. Its population seems to be stable, meaning the number of these birds is not going down. Even though it lives in a specific area, it's a common bird within that region.
It's estimated that the total area where this bird lives is about 23,800 km2 (9,190 sq mi). Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has decided that its conservation status is "least concern". This is good news, as it means the species is not currently at risk.
