Melanerpes rubricapillus (Cabanis, 1862)

Size and Weight

The red-crowned woodpecker (Melanerpes rubricapillus) measures 16 to 18.5 cm (6.3 to 7.3 inches) in length and weighs 40 to 65 g (1.4 to 2.3 ounces).

Sexual Dimorphism Overview

Male and female plumage is identical except for the pattern on the head.

Adult Male Head Plumage

Adult males of the nominate subspecies have a pale yellow to whitish forehead, a bright red crown, and orange-red coloring on the nape and hindneck.

Adult Female Head Plumage

Adult females share the same pale yellow to whitish forehead, but have a pale gray-buff to whitish crown, with reddish to orange-red on the nape and hindneck.

Facial and Throat Plumage

For both sexes, the cheeks, chin, and throat are grayish-buff.

Upperparts Plumage

The mantle and back feature black and white barring, while the rump and uppertail coverts are solid unbarred white.

Flight Feather Plumage

The flight feathers are black with white bars across their entire length.

Tail Plumage

The tail is black, with white bars only on the central and outermost pairs of feathers.

Underparts Plumage

Underparts are variable, but are most often buffish-gray to gray-buff with an olive or yellowish tint, and have a reddish to orange-red patch on the central belly.

Flank and Undertail Covert Plumage

The lower flanks and undertail coverts have black bars.

Bare Part Features

This species has a fairly long blackish bill, a red to brown iris, gray-brown bare skin surrounding the eye, and gray legs.

Juvenile Plumage

Juveniles are duller and browner than adults, with paler color on the nape and hindneck, less contrasting barring on the upperparts, often light streaking on the underparts, and a paler, somewhat mottled belly patch.

Additional Subspecies Traits

The three additional subspecies have distinct traits: M. r. subfusculus is slightly smaller than the nominate and has darker underparts, with deep gray-brown coloring on the breast and sides; M. r. seductus has a somewhat darker breast than the nominate, and females have more red on the nape; M. r. paraguanae has a paler yellow forehead than the nominate, a buff-brown nape and yellower hindneck, wider white bars on its upperparts, and a golden-yellow belly patch.

Subspecies Distributions

The four recognized subspecies have the following separate distributions: M. r. rubricapillus occurs from southwestern Costa Rica through Panama into northern and central Colombia, the northern half of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and the island of Tobago; M. r. subfusculus is found only on Coiba Island off southwestern Panama; M. r. seductus is found only on Isla del Rey off southeastern Panama; M. r. paraguanae is restricted to the Paraguaná Peninsula of northwestern Venezuela.

Habitat Range Type

The red-crowned woodpecker lives in a wide range of both wet and dry landscapes.

Specific Habitat Types

Habitats it occupies include the interior, clearings, and edges of mature deciduous forests, secondary forests, coastal scrublands, mangroves, plantations, and gardens.

Elevation Range

In terms of elevation, it mostly occurs between sea level and 1,700 m (5,600 ft), but can be found as high as 1,900 m (6,200 ft) in Venezuela.