About Leuconotopicus stricklandi (Malherbe, 1845)
Scientific Naming and Adult Length
Strickland's woodpeckers, scientifically named Leuconotopicus stricklandi (Malherbe, 1845), reach an adult length of approximately 7 to 8 inches.
General Plumage Coloration
Their plumage is primarily brown and white: upperparts are brown with a dark rump, while underparts are white and heavily speckled with brown spots.
Wing and Facial Markings
They typically have three white bars on the wings, and two white stripes across the face that connect to an additional white bar on the neck.
Sexual Dimorphism
Males have a red patch on the nape of the head, a feature that is absent in females.
Nest Site Characteristics
This species nests in a cavity it excavates from a dead tree trunk.
Egg Laying and Nesting Knowledge Gaps
The female lays 3 to 4 white eggs on a bed of wood chips; most other details about nesting timing and duration remain unknown.
Temperament
Strickland's woodpeckers are quiet, shy birds.
Distribution Range
They are fairly common within their restricted geographic range, which forms a narrow east-west band across central Mexico, stretching from Michoacán to Veracruz.
Habitat and Elevation Range
They inhabit pine forests and mixed pine-oak slopes at elevations between roughly 4,500 and 7,000 feet.
