West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

West Indian Woodpecker

Melanerpes superciliaris (Temminck, 1827)

27–32 cmLength77 gWeight

The West Indian woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae.

Busiest months: February–March · Most records: Cuba, Cayman Islands, Bahamas

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: February–March · Most records: Cuba, Cayman Islands, Bahamas

West Indian Woodpecker has been recorded at 38 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 3 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Refugio de Fauna BermejaCuba966 records
  2. Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park - IBA, National TrustCayman Islands759 records
  3. Soplillar – Sabanas de PalpiteCuba735 records
More places
  1. Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra del Rosario – Las TerrazasCuba644 records
  2. PN Ciénaga de Zapata – Santo TomasCuba478 records
  3. Patricks Island Roost and DykesCayman Islands471 records
  4. Criadero de CocodrilosCuba432 records
  5. Casa Ana BirdingCuba386 records
  6. Canaan Land RoadCayman Islands336 records
  7. Hacienda CortinaCuba334 records

Countries and regions with the most records

CubaCayman IslandsBahamas

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 West Indian woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and Cuba.

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

Questions

How big is the West Indian Woodpecker?

The West Indian Woodpecker is about 27–32 cm long and weighs around 77 g.

Where does the West Indian Woodpecker live?

Its breeding range: North America: Bahamas, Cuba and Cayman Islands. It is most often recorded in Cuba, Cayman Islands and Bahamas.

When is the best time to see the West Indian Woodpecker?

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

Is the West Indian Woodpecker endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the West Indian Woodpecker as Least Concern.

What does the West Indian Woodpecker eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the West Indian Woodpecker in?

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

At a glance

Length
27–32 cm
Weight
77 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
142 mm
Tail
104 mm
Bill
38 mm
Tarsus
24 mm

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

Range

North America: Bahamas, Cuba and Cayman Islands

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 pulcherBlack-cheeked WoodpeckerBlack-cheeked WoodpeckerMelanerpes pucheraniWhite-fronted WoodpeckerWhite-fronted WoodpeckerMelanerpes cactorum
West Indian Woodpecker

Download illustration

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

WebP · 1070 px

Heard it but can't see it? Mingji identifies birds by sound and photo, on your phone.

In other languages