White Woodpecker Melanerpes candidus Scientific name definitions

The White Woodpecker is a distinctive inhabitant of lightly wooded savannas and grasslands and forest edge of central South American. It occurs from extreme southeastern Peru east to northeastern Brazil and south to Argentina.  The White Woodpecker has a white head and white underparts, set off with yellow patches on the hindneck and belly; there is a black stripe that extends from the rear of the eye to the mantle; and has black wings and tail.   The White Woodpecker typically forages in groups of 5 to 8 individuals, sometimes in mixed species flocks with members of the woodpecker genus Colaptes.  An arboreal species, the White Woodpecker feeds predominantly on fruits and seeds, but will also feed on insects.  White Woodpeckers occasionally open bee nests to get at the honey and insects within.    

24–29 cm; 98–136 g. Smallish to medium-sized, very distinctive woodpecker. Male has almost entire head and underparts white to creamy-white, occasionally slightly buff-tinged (and often becoming stained brownish); dusky to blackish loral line, narrow black stripe from lower rear of eye curving down to mantle; pale lemon-yellow lower hindneck; black mantle to upper back, wing-coverts and tertials, slightly glossed blue, white lower back to uppertail-coverts  ; flight-­feathers brownish-black; uppertail brownish-black, some white at base, usually a few white spots in distal part of outer feathers; yellow patch in centre of lower belly of variable extent (occasionally reaching lower breast); underwing grey-brown, coverts black; longish bill slightly chisel-tipped, culmen curved, moderately broad across nostrils, black, paler (even greenish or whitish) at base; iris white to pale bluish-white or yellow, very broad orbital ring golden-yellow; legs  olive to grey-green or brownish. Female lacks yellow on hindneck  . Juvenile has dark areas browner, less glossy, white areas more buff-tinged, yellow on belly duller, iris grey, orbital ring possibly bluish; young male with yellow extending from hindneck or nape up to crown, female with broken band of yellow in nape area.

Coastal Suriname and French Guiana, lower Amazon (W to R Madeira), and from extreme SE Peru (Pampas del Heath), S Mato Grosso and NE Brazil (N Maranhão to Pernambuco) S to E Bolivia, N Argentina (S to Córdoba, N Buenos Aires) and Uruguay (1 Pereira, G.A., Araújo, L.W.L., Leal, S., Medcraft, J., Marantz, C.A., Toledo, M.T.F., Araújo, H.F.P., Albano, C., Pinto, T., Santos, C.H.A., Serapião, L.C.H., Silva, G.B.M. and Pioli, D. (2012). Important bird records from Alagoas, Pernambuco and Paraíba, north-east Brazil. Cotinga 34: 17–22. Close ).

Principally dry subtropical forest, woodland and open wooded areas, savannas with scattered trees, and dry scrub areas; often at forest edge and in cultivated areas, where it inhabits palm groves and orchards. Not uncommonly seen in stands of Eucalyptus, and recorded in other exotic trees (Salix, Populus) in Argentina. Mainly lowlands, locally to c. 2200 m.

Apparently resident. Recent records in coastal Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) possibly only of wandering individuals, but might represent expansion of breeding range, and same seems true of records as far S as coastal S Buenos Aires (Argentina) (2 Celsi, C.E., Milat, J.A. and Kildegaard, M. (2014). Hallazgo de un ejemplar de Carpintero Blanco (Melanerpes candidus) en Libertad, en la costa bonaerense. Historia Natural. 4(2): 89–94. Close ).

Predominantly fruits , also seeds and honey; in addition, insects  , including wild bees and wasps and their larvae. Also recorded feeding on meat hung up to dry. Usually observed in small groups  of c. 5–8; sometimes accompanies Colaptes species. Often visits more open places; may fly long distances across open country in relatively straight (non-undulating) flight, pausing to forage on any trees encountered. Arboreal, foraging mostly by pecking and gleaning. Opens nests of hymenopterans  to take their brood and honey. Occasionally catches insects on the wing.

Common call when perched “ghirreh” or “kreer”; very distinctive “kirr-kirr-kirr” or “cree-cree-cree-creek” in flight, recalling a tern (Sterna).

Season Sept–Nov. Possibly social breeder, but details insufficiently known. Nest not described; recorded nesting in palm trees  , conifer trees  and wood pylons  ; apparently able to use holes among rocks. Display flights occur during breeding season. Clutch 3–4 eggs; incubation by both parents, period unrecorded; fledging period 36 days in captivity.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). No data on numbers and density; probably not uncommon. Rare in Peru. Occurs in several protected areas, such as Serra da Canastra and Das Emas National Parks and Sooretama Biological Reserve (Brazil). Appears to have expanded its range in S since early 1990s, which expansion may be ongoing (2 Celsi, C.E., Milat, J.A. and Kildegaard, M. (2014). Hallazgo de un ejemplar de Carpintero Blanco (Melanerpes candidus) en Libertad, en la costa bonaerense. Historia Natural. 4(2): 89–94. Close ). Causes some damage locally in commercial fruit plantations, e.g. of oranges, and is sometimes persecuted as a result. Trapped for cage-bird trade in and around Buenos Aires (Argentina).