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En bref

  • Scientific Name: Melanerpes pucherani
  • Spanish Name: Carpintero carinegro
  • Family: Picidae
  • Known Nicknames: Woodpecker, Black-cheeked
  • Average Length: 18–20 cm / 7–8 in
  • Average Weight: 50–70 g / 1.8–2.5 oz
  • Wingspan: 30–35 cm / 12–14 in
  • Key Feature: Black cheeks and a yellow crown patch (male) or red crown (female)
  • Régime alimentaire principal : Principalement insectivore
  • Range: Southern Mexico to western Ecuador
  • Habitat: Tropical lowland forests and forest edges
  • Structure sociale : Solitaires ou en couples
  • Nesting/Breeding: Tree cavities
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Évolution démographique : Stable

The Black-cheeked Woodpecker (*Melanerpes pucherani*) is a strikingly beautiful bird of Central and South American lowland forests, instantly recognizable by its bold black-and-white barring across its back and wings, contrasted with a creamy yellow belly and a vivid red crown. Its most unique characteristic is the namesake black cheek patch, which sharply frames a white stripe above the eye and a bright yellow patch just below the nape, giving it an almost masked appearance. A special feature of this species is its opportunistic foraging behavior: while it primarily hunts insects on tree trunks, it is also known to visit fruiting trees and even drink nectar from flowers, making it a common and lively visitor at forest edges and canopy gaps.

Faits amusants

The Black-cheeked Woodpecker engages in a quirky behavior called "anting," where it deliberately rubs ants on its feathers to use the formic acid as a natural insect repellent and fungicide. It also has a uniquely long, barbed tongue that can extend up to three times the length of its bill, allowing it to extract grubs deep within tree bark. This species is known for its noisy, social nature, often foraging in mixed-species flocks and producing a distinctive, laughing "wicka-wicka" call that sounds almost like a primate.

Habitats et répartition

The Black-cheeked Woodpecker is primarily found in humid to semi-hemi-humid lowland forests and forest edges, including secondary growth and tall second-growth woodlands, from sea level up to around 1,200 meters. It is a resident species of the Neotropical realm, with its range extending from southeastern Mexico (Veracruz, Oaxaca, and the Yucatán Peninsula) south through Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and into western Panama. It also occurs on the Pacific slope of Colombia and Ecuador, where it favors both evergreen and deciduous forests, often near rivers or clearings, and adapts well to shaded plantations and woodland patches.

Comportements & Reproduction

The Black-cheeked Woodpecker is generally monogamous and forms stable pair bonds, often remaining together for multiple breeding seasons. Pairs defend a small territory around their nest cavity, which they excavate in dead or decaying tree trunks, typically 3 to 15 meters above ground. Both sexes participate in digging the nest and share incubation duties, with the male often taking the night shift. Clutch size ranges from two to four white eggs, and both parents feed the chicks regurgitated insects and fruit. A notable reproductive strategy is their reliance on cooperative breeding in some populations, where non-breeding helpers—often previous offspring—assist in feeding and defending the nest, increasing fledgling survival rates. The species does not exhibit elaborate courtship displays beyond mutual drumming and vocal duets, which reinforce the pair bond and signal territory ownership.

Alimentation

The Black-cheeked Woodpecker is primarily frugivorous, with fruit making up a substantial portion of its diet, particularly favoring berries and small wild fruits like those from the mistletoe and palm trees. It is also an adept insectivore, foraging for beetles, ants, caterpillars, and other arthropods by gleaning them from bark, leaves, and epiphytes, and occasionally sallying out to catch flying termites or ants in mid-air. An interesting fact is that this woodpecker will actively visit fruiting trees in mixed-species flocks alongside tanagers and other birds, allowing it to exploit temporary fruit bonanzas. It often uses its strong bill not only to excavate bark for insects but also to pierce the tough skins of certain fruits, and it has been observed drinking nectar from large flowers, supplementing its diet with this sugary resource when available.

Couleurs

The Black-cheeked Woodpecker has a striking black-and-white barred back and wings, a creamy white to pale yellow belly, and a distinctive black mask extending from the bill through the eye to the cheek. Males feature a red crown and nape, while females have a black crown with a red nape patch. Its bold face pattern provides disruptive camouflage against dappled forest light, and the red crown serves as a clear species signal.