Golden-naped Woodpecker (Melanerpes chrysauchen)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Golden-naped Woodpecker

Melanerpes chrysauchen Salvin, 1870

18 cmLength52 gWeight

The golden-naped woodpecker (Melanerpes chrysauchen) is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae.

Busiest months: March · Most records: Costa Rica

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Golden-naped Woodpecker has been recorded at 19 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Esquinas Rainforest LodgeCosta Rica1,041 records
  2. PN Carara-Entrada principal [senderos Quebrada Bonita y Universal]Costa Rica863 records
  3. EsquipulasCosta Rica570 records
More places
  1. PN Corcovado – Sector SirenaCosta Rica514 records
  2. PN Manuel AntonioCosta Rica473 records
  3. Villa LapasCosta Rica470 records
  4. Bosque del Rio Tigre LodgeCosta Rica444 records
  5. Macaw LodgeCosta Rica401 records
  6. Hacienda BaruCosta Rica389 records
  7. Rio Rincón bridge & environsCosta Rica339 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Costa Rica

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 golden-naped woodpecker (Melanerpes chrysauchen) is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae. The species is very closely related to the beautiful woodpecker, which is sometimes treated as the same species. The two species, along with several other species, are sometimes placed in the genus Tripsurus.

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

Questions

How big is the Golden-naped Woodpecker?

The Golden-naped Woodpecker is about 18 cm long and weighs around 52 g.

Where does the Golden-naped Woodpecker live?

Its breeding range: Middle America: Costa Rica and Panama. It is most often recorded in Costa Rica.

When is the best time to see the Golden-naped Woodpecker?

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

Is the Golden-naped Woodpecker endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Golden-naped Woodpecker as Least Concern.

What does the Golden-naped Woodpecker eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Golden-naped Woodpecker in?

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

At a glance

Length
18 cm
Weight
52 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
110 mm
Tail
56 mm
Bill
25 mm
Tarsus
18 mm

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

Range

Middle America: Costa Rica and Panama

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 flavifronsBeautiful WoodpeckerBeautiful WoodpeckerMelanerpes pulcherBlack-cheeked WoodpeckerBlack-cheeked WoodpeckerMelanerpes pucheraniWhite-fronted WoodpeckerWhite-fronted WoodpeckerMelanerpes cactorumHispaniolan WoodpeckerHispaniolan WoodpeckerMelanerpes striatus
Golden-naped Woodpecker

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

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