Celeus lugubris (Malherbe, 1851)

Taxonomy and Naming

The pale-crested woodpecker (scientific name Celeus lugubris, originally described by Malherbe in 1851) measures about 23 to 24 cm (9.1 to 9.4 in) in length.

Length and Weight

The nominate subspecies C. l. lugubris weighs 115 to 130 g (4.1 to 4.6 oz), while subspecies C. l. kerri weighs 112 to 157 g (4.0 to 5.5 oz).

Sexual Dimorphism

For both subspecies, males have a wide bright red malar area and cheek, and sometimes red extending around the eye; in females, this area has brown barring or a scaly brown pattern instead.

Nominate Subspecies Head Features

In the nominate subspecies, adult individuals of both sexes have a pale blond to buffish head, which includes the long pointed crest, chin, and throat.

Upperparts Coloration

They have deep rufous-black upperparts, with a blond to cream-buff lower back, rump, and uppertail coverts.

Back and Rump Markings

Their back has narrow cinnamon to pale cinnamon-buff bars; their rump sometimes has a cinnamon tinge, and the longest uppertail coverts are rufous with black bars near the tip.

Flight Feather Features

Their flight feathers are blackish brown with rufous bars at the base.

Tail Feather Features

Their tail feathers are black, with some rufous coloring and black spots on the outermost pair.

Underparts Coloration

Their lower neck and underparts are dark sooty rufous, with a few brighter feather edges.

Flank and Thigh Features

Their rear flanks and thighs are creamy, and the thighs have variable dark barring.

Soft Part Features

Adult pale-crested woodpeckers have a grayish to horn-colored bill, a dark red to red-brown iris, and gray legs.

Juvenile Features

Juveniles resemble adults, but have blackish markings on the head and irregular barring on the upperparts.

Subspecies Kerri Morphology

Subspecies C. l. kerri is almost identical to the nominate subspecies, but is slightly larger and darker.

Nominate Subspecies Range

The nominate subspecies of pale-crested woodpecker is distributed across central and eastern Bolivia, and the western portion of Brazil's Mato Grosso state.

Subspecies Kerri Range

Subspecies C. l. kerri is found across most of Paraguay, in southern Mato Grosso and the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (Brazil), and in northeastern Argentina.

Habitat

This species lives in somewhat open landscapes including semi-deciduous forest, cerrado woodland, and dry Chaco woodlands, and it is often found in areas with palms.