White woodpecker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White woodpecker |
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| Conservation status | |
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Melanerpes
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| Species: |
candidus
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The white woodpecker (scientific name: Melanerpes candidus) is a cool bird from South America. It's a type of woodpecker and lives in places like Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina. You can spot it in grassy areas with trees. This bird is mostly bright white with black wings. It also has a special small, bright yellow patch around its eye. Good news! Experts say it's a "least-concern species", meaning it's not in danger right now.
Contents
About the White Woodpecker
Naming and History
The white woodpecker was first described in 1796. A French scientist named Bernhard Christian Otto gave it the name Melanerpes candidus. It was found near Cayenne. Sometimes, people thought it should be in its own group called Leuconerpes. But it looks very similar to other birds in the Melanerpes group. There are no different types (subspecies) of the white woodpecker.
What Does It Look Like?
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This woodpecker is about 24 to 29 centimeters (9 to 11 inches) long. It usually weighs around 108 grams (3.8 ounces). It's one of the biggest Melanerpes woodpeckers. Its back, wings, and tail are black. The feathers under its wings are grayish-black.
The top of its head, face, and belly are white. Sometimes, these white parts have a light yellow tint. Male birds might have a bit more yellow on their chest and neck. Both males and females have some yellow on their belly. A thin black line goes from behind its eye to its neck. There's a yellow ring of skin around its eye, which has a yellowish center. Its beak is long and gray, lighter near its head. Its legs are also gray.
Young white woodpeckers are a bit browner than adults. Their light parts are more buff-colored than white. The ring around their eye is gray, not yellow. Both young males and females might have some yellow on their neck.
Where It Lives and What It Likes
Home Sweet Home
The white woodpecker lives in a large area of South America. This area is east of the Andes mountains. Its home stretches from Suriname and French Guiana. It goes through most of Brazil, all the way to southeastern Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northern Argentina.
You can find these birds up to about 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) high. They don't migrate (move far away for seasons). But they might fly short distances. They like the edges of forests and open woodlands. They also live in grassy areas with scattered trees, farms, fruit gardens, parks, and even mangrove swamps. They are very good at adapting to different places. You can even see them in city areas. They are also moving into places where trees have been cut down.
White Woodpecker Life and Habits
Daily Life and Diet
White woodpeckers sometimes fly in groups of up to ten birds. They fly with a bouncy, up-and-down wing beat. They eat many different things. This includes fruits, berries, and seeds. They help spread seeds for some plants. They look for food in noisy family groups. They also raid nests of wild bees and wasps. They eat the adult insects, their babies (larvae), and honey.
Reproduction and Family Life
White woodpeckers usually breed between September and November. They might sometimes nest together in a group. However, not much is known about how they raise their young.
Conservation Status
The white woodpecker lives in a very large area. This area is estimated to be over 10 million square kilometers (3.8 million square miles). It seems to be spreading its home range further south. Even though it's not a super common bird everywhere, its total population is thought to be growing. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says it is a "least concern" bird. This means it's not currently in danger of disappearing.
