Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Scientific name definitions

A sedentary species whose distribution straddles the temperate and tropical regions of Middle America, the Golden-fronted Woodpecker ranges into the United States only to Texas and southwestern Oklahoma. Exhibiting complex geographic variation, this woodpecker is composed of 3 to 4 distinct but intergrading groups of subspecies. Earlier in the twentieth century the subspecies themselves were considered separate species. Only the nominate race occurs north of Mexico.

Throughout its limited U.S. range the Golden-fronted Woodpecker is a species of the dry brushlands and semiopen woodlands of the southern plains. The greatest density of this species in the United States is in the mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) brushlands of south Texas. It is often common and calls loudly, hence a conspicuous species. Its appearance, behavior, and vocalizations are similar to those of the closely related Red-bellied Woodpecker (M. carolinus), with which it hybridizes.

The Golden-fronted Woodpecker consumes about as much fruit and nuts as it does insects. In summer in Texas, individual woodpeckers stain their faces purple from eating fruit of the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.). Late-fall and winter concentrations of this woodpecker in riparian pecan (Carya illinoinensis) tree stands attest to its taste for nuts. It seldom excavates wood for insects; rather it gleans, probes, or sallies for its food. It excavates its own roost and nest cavities.

Remarkably little has been published on the natural history of this species. Brief and incomplete general accounts are available in Bent 1939 Bent, A. C. (1939). Life histories of North American woodpeckers. United States National Museum Bulletin 174, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA. Close and Oberholser 1974 Oberholser, H. C. (1974). The Bird Life of Texas. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas, USA. Close ; a more complete account in Short 1982 Short, L. L. (1982). Woodpeckers of the World. Monograph Series 4, Delaware Museum of Natural History, Greenville, DE, USA. Close . Papers, monographs, and theses on systematics (Selander and Giller 1963 Selander, R. K., and D. R. Giller (1963) Species limits in the woodpecker genus Centurus (Aves). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 124: 213-273. Close ), interspecific behavior (Selander and Giller 1959a Selander, R. K., and D. R. Giller (1959a). Interspecific relations of woodpeckers in Texas. Wilson Bulletin 71:107-124. Close ), differential niche use between sexes (Selander 1966 Selander, R. K. (1966). Sexual dimorphism and differential niche utilization in birds. Condor 68:113-151. Close ), foraging (Selander 1966 Selander, R. K. (1966). Sexual dimorphism and differential niche utilization in birds. Condor 68:113-151. Close , Askins 1983 Askins, R. A. (1983). Foraging ecology of temperate-zone and tropical woodpeckers. Ecology 64:945-956. Close , Kujawa 1984 Kujawa, K. I. (1984). Foraging behavior of the Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) in the San Angelo, Texas region. Master's Thesis, Angelo State Univ., San Angelo, TX. Close ), hybridization with Red-bellied Woodpeckers (Smith 1987c Smith, J. I. (1987c). Evidence of hybridization between Red-bellied and Golden-fronted woodpeckers. Condor 89:377-386. Close ), territoriality and associated behaviors (Selander and Giller 1959a Selander, R. K., and D. R. Giller (1959a). Interspecific relations of woodpeckers in Texas. Wilson Bulletin 71:107-124. Close , Husak Husak 1997d Husak, M. S. (1997d). Seasonal variation in territorial behavior of the Golden-fronted Woodpecker. Master's Thesis, Angelo State Univ., San Angelo, TX. Close , Husak 1997a Husak, M. S. (1997a). Age of first breeding in the Golden-fronted Woodpecker. Texas Journal of Science 49:168-169. Close , Husak 1997b Husak, M. S. (1997b). Observations of winter territorial interactions between a Red-headed Woodpecker and Golden-fronted Woodpeckers. Texas Journal of Science 49:348-350. Close ), breeding-season displays (Husak 1996 Husak, M. S. (1996). Breeding season displays of the Golden-fronted Woodpecker. Southwestern Naturalist 41:441-442. Close ), and assorted life history observations (Skutch Skutch 1933 Skutch, A. F. (1933). Male woodpeckers incubating at night. Auk 50:437. Close , Skutch 1945a Skutch, A. F. (1945). Incubation and nestling periods of Central American birds. Auk 62: 8–37. Close , Skutch 1969b Skutch, A. F. (1969). Life histories of Central American birds III. Pacific Coast Avifauna 35:1–580. Close ) constitute the few significant studies that focus on this species. The Golden-fronted Woodpecker's nutrition, physiology, development, and population biology, as well as much of its reproductive biology, remain unknown. Geographic variation in any aspects of its natural history other than foraging ecology is unstudied. Much of the information available has been gathered from Texas and, to a lesser degree, Central America.

What is known of the population trends of this species does not justify concern; indeed this species seems to have increased in numbers and distribution within the past 40 years in much of Texas and Oklahoma. The proliferation of mesquite on rangeland favors this woodpecker.