Pale-crested woodpecker

The pale-crested woodpecker (Celeus lugubris) is a species of bird belonging to the woodpecker family Picidae, found in the diverse landscapes of South America. Its range encompasses Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay, where it inhabits semi-deciduous forests, cerrado woodlands, and dry Chaco woodlands, frequently associating with areas that feature palms.

Description and Identification

Adult pale-crested woodpeckers typically measure between 23 to 24 cm in length. A striking characteristic is their pale blond to buffish head, which includes a prominent, long, pointed crest. The upperparts are a deep rufous-black, contrasted by a blond to cream-buff lower back and rump. The flight feathers are blackish brown with rufous barring, and the tail feathers are black with rufous and black spots on the outermost pair. Their underparts are a dark sooty rufous, with creamy rear flanks and thighs that may exhibit dark barring. Males are distinguished by a broad, bright red malar area and cheek, whereas females display a barred or scaly brown pattern in the same region. Juveniles are similar but possess blackish coloration on the head and irregular barring on their upperparts. The bill is grayish to horn-colored, the iris is dark red to red-brown, and the legs are gray.

Distribution and Habitat

The nominate subspecies, C. l. lugubris, is found in central and eastern Bolivia and the western part of Brazil's Mato Grosso state. The subspecies C. l. kerri inhabits most of Paraguay, southern Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul state in Brazil, and northeastern Argentina. They favor somewhat open landscapes, preferring woodland environments.

Behavior and Ecology

Diet and Foraging

The pale-crested woodpecker's diet primarily consists of ants, including their adults, larvae, and pupae. They typically forage at the mid-level of the forest, employing methods such as probing, gleaning, and pecking into dead wood and ant tunnels to access their prey.

Breeding

The breeding season for this species generally spans from September to November, though it may extend later in the southern parts of its range. They excavate nest cavities in trees or within arboreal ant or termite nests, usually at heights of 4 to 10 meters above the ground. Little additional information is documented regarding their breeding biology.

Vocalizations

What is believed to be the song of the pale-crested woodpecker is described as a very high, slackening, fluted call, transcribed as 'twee-twee-tee-tee-tee'. While they do drum, this activity is noted as being weak.

Conservation Status

The pale-crested woodpecker is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. Although it possesses a large geographic range and is considered fairly common in many areas, its population size is unknown and is thought to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified, and the species is present in several protected areas. However, further research is considered necessary to better understand its ecology and breeding behavior.