Black-cheeked Woodpecker (Melanerpes pucherani)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Black-cheeked Woodpecker

Melanerpes pucherani (Malherbe, 1849)

17–19 cmLength62 gWeight

The black-cheeked woodpecker (Melanerpes pucherani) is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae.

Busiest months: March · Most records: Costa Rica, Panama, Belize

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Black-cheeked Woodpecker has been recorded at 199 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 9 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Arenal Observatory LodgeCosta Rica10,008 records
  2. Estación Biológica La Selva-OTSCosta Rica9,024 records
  3. Rancho NaturalistaCosta Rica4,972 records
More places
  1. Selva Verde LodgeCosta Rica3,498 records
  2. Black Rock LodgeBelize3,288 records
  3. Chan Chich LodgeBelize2,603 records
  4. Tirimbina Rainforest CenterCosta Rica2,406 records
  5. Refugio mixto Caño NegroCosta Rica2,237 records
  6. Rio Silanche Bird SanctuaryEcuador1,978 records
  7. Canopy TowerPanama1,838 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Costa RicaPanamaBelizeEcuadorColombiaHondurasMexicoGuatemala

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The black-cheeked woodpecker (Melanerpes pucherani) is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found from Mexico south to Ecuador.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Black-cheeked Woodpecker?

The Black-cheeked Woodpecker is about 17–19 cm long and weighs around 62 g.

Where does the Black-cheeked Woodpecker live?

Its breeding range: Middle America, South America: southern Mexico to western Ecuador. It is most often recorded in Costa Rica, Panama and Belize.

When is the best time to see the Black-cheeked Woodpecker?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in March (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Black-cheeked Woodpecker endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Black-cheeked Woodpecker as Least Concern.

What does the Black-cheeked Woodpecker eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Black-cheeked Woodpecker in?

It belongs to the family Woodpeckers (Picidae), order Piciformes.

At a glance

Length
17–19 cm
Weight
62 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
111 mm
Tail
58 mm
Bill
26 mm
Tarsus
19 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Middle America, South America: southern Mexico to western Ecuador

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Woodpeckers Picidae
Genus
Melanerpes

Other birds in the genus Melanerpes

White WoodpeckerWhite WoodpeckerMelanerpes candidusLewis's WoodpeckerLewis's WoodpeckerMelanerpes lewisGuadeloupe WoodpeckerGuadeloupe WoodpeckerMelanerpes herminieriPuerto Rican WoodpeckerPuerto Rican WoodpeckerMelanerpes portoricensisRed-headed WoodpeckerRed-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusAcorn WoodpeckerAcorn WoodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorusYellow-tufted WoodpeckerYellow-tufted WoodpeckerMelanerpes cruentatusYellow-fronted WoodpeckerYellow-fronted WoodpeckerMelanerpes flavifronsGolden-naped WoodpeckerGolden-naped WoodpeckerMelanerpes chrysauchenBeautiful WoodpeckerBeautiful WoodpeckerMelanerpes pulcherWhite-fronted WoodpeckerWhite-fronted WoodpeckerMelanerpes cactorumHispaniolan WoodpeckerHispaniolan WoodpeckerMelanerpes striatus
Black-cheeked Woodpecker

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Richard Yank. ↗

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