Kingdom Animalia Order Piciformes Genus Colaptes Higher classification Flickers | Phylum Chordata Family Picidae Scientific name Colaptes rubiginosus Rank Species | |
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Similar Woodpecker, Bird, Flickers, Piculus, Lineated woodpecker | ||
Golden olive woodpecker colaptes rubiginosus
The golden-olive woodpecker (Colaptes rubiginosus) is a resident breeding bird from Mexico south and east to Guyana, northwest Argentina, Trinidad and Tobago. It was formerly placed in the genus Piculus. The scientific name rubiginosus means "full of rust", describing the color of the bird's wings and back.
Contents
- Golden olive woodpecker colaptes rubiginosus
- Golden olive woodpecker colaptes rubiginosus reserva carpanta junin
- Description
- Habitat and ecology
- References
Golden olive woodpecker colaptes rubiginosus reserva carpanta junin
Description
The golden-olive woodpecker is 22 cm (8.7 in) long and weighs 68 g (2.4 oz). Adults are mainly golden olive above with some barring on the tail. The forecrown is grey and the hindcrown red. The face is yellow-white and the underparts are barred black and yellowish. The bill is black. Adult males have a red moustachial strip which is lacking in the female.
Habitat and ecology
The habitat of this woodpecker is forests, more open woodland, and cultivation. It is most common in the mountains. Two or three white eggs are laid in a nest hole in a tree and incubated by both sexes. The young are fed by regurgitation.
Due to its habitat—mainly montane forest, separated by large rivers—it has evolved into about 20 subspecies. P. r. tobagensis from Tobago is larger and heavier-billed than the Trinidadian P. r. trinitatis. Some of the South American races have only very narrow yellow barring on the underparts, and Andean birds show a pale eyering.
Golden-olive woodpeckers mainly eat insects, including ants and beetle larvae, with some fruit and berries. The call of this bird is a loud wheep.