Yellow-browed woodpecker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yellow-browed woodpecker |
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| Male in Espírito Santo State, Brazil | |
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Piculus
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| Species: |
aurulentus
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The yellow-browed woodpecker is a fascinating bird. It's also known as the white-browed woodpecker. This bird is a type of woodpecker and lives in South America. You can find it in countries like Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Scientists say it is a "Near Threatened" species. This means it needs our help to protect its home.
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About the Yellow-Browed Woodpecker
The yellow-browed woodpecker is about 21 to 22 centimeters (8 to 9 inches) long. It weighs between 22 and 68 grams (0.8 to 2.4 ounces). Male and female woodpeckers look very similar. The main difference is on their heads.
What Does It Look Like?
Male yellow-browed woodpeckers have a red head from their forehead to the back of their neck. They have a thin, yellowish-white stripe above their eye. Around their eye and on the side of their neck, they are dark olive green. Below that, they have a pale yellow stripe and a red patch on their cheek. Their chin and throat are a light golden color.
Female woodpeckers have an olive-colored forehead and the top of their head. They have less red on their cheeks compared to males.
Both male and female adults have olive green upper bodies. Their flight feathers are dark brown with greenish edges. The inside of these feathers is a dark cinnamon-red. Their tail is blackish. Their underparts are whitish with wide, dark olive stripes.
Their beak is a medium length and blackish-gray. The bottom part of the beak is lighter. Their eyes are chestnut-brown, and their legs are greenish-gray. Young woodpeckers look a bit duller than adults. Their stripes on their underparts are not as clear.
Where Does It Live?
The yellow-browed woodpecker lives in parts of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina. It likes to live in humid forests, especially in mountains. You can also find it in thick, new forests and woodlands. In Brazil, it lives at heights between 750 and 2000 meters (2,460 and 6,560 feet). In other countries, it usually lives at lower elevations.
Yellow-Browed Woodpecker Behavior
How It Moves Around
This woodpecker usually stays in the same area all year long. It does not migrate to other places.
What It Eats
The yellow-browed woodpecker often looks for food in the middle parts of the forest. It usually forages alone or in pairs. It finds its food by picking and pecking at trees. It is known to eat ants and their eggs. Scientists are still learning more about its full diet.
Reproduction
The breeding season for the yellow-browed woodpecker seems to be from August to November. It usually digs its nest hole high up in a tree. We don't know much about how many eggs it lays. We also don't know how long the eggs take to hatch. The details of how the parents care for their young are still a mystery.
Sounds It Makes
The yellow-browed woodpecker has a special song. It's a slow or fast series of 7 to 15 high "wuh" notes. It also drums on trees with quick, steady rolls.
Protecting the Yellow-Browed Woodpecker
The IUCN (a group that studies nature) says the yellow-browed woodpecker is "Near Threatened." This means its population might be decreasing. A lot of its natural home has been cut down for farms and pastures. This loss of habitat continues to be a problem for the woodpecker. It is also a bit shy, so it's not seen very often.
