Yellow-throated Woodpecker Piculus flavigula Scientific name definitions

The Yellow-throated Woodpecker exhibits reasonably well-marked geographical variation across its rather broad range, over much of Amazonia, and more locally in the east Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Three subspecies are usually recognized of which only the western and southern taxon shows a completely yellow throat; that in the Atlantic Forest has a red throat, leading to suggestions that it might better be treated as a separate species, and that over the rest of Amazonia has an obvious red malar streak. The Yellow-throated Woodpecker inhabits a variety of forest types, usually in lowland regions, and appears to regularly join mixed-species foraging flocks. Surprisingly little has been published concerning the species’ ecology and behavior, given its wide range and general abundance.

19–20 cm; 44–63 g (flavi­gula). Male has bright red forehead to nape with dark feather bases, yellowish-green lores, short red malar band; rest of head, including chin and throat, bright golden-yellow; entire upperparts  yellowish-green, brighter on mantle and back, occasionally a few paler spots on rump; brownish-black flight-feathers, inner webs with cinnamon patches; uppertail black, edged greenish; green below, breast with whitish feather centres and dark tips, pattern more barred or scaly on belly and undertail-coverts; underwing with paler coverts somewhat barred; shortish bill pointed, culmen slightly curved, narrow across nostrils, black, paler base; iris brown; legs dark green-grey. Female  lacks red on crown and malar, having these areas more golden to yellow with green tips. Juvenile duller and greener above than adult, less yellow on head, darker and less marked below but still yellow throat, male sometimes with some red on crown, female with crown entirely green. Race <em>magnus</em> has malar area golden-yellow in both sexes ; erythropis is smaller than others, distinctive, male with red extending variably over neck side and from malar over chin and throat , female with golden-yellow forecrown, malar and throat, throat usually with red markings, both with entire underparts more barred than spotted or scaly.

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Mainly ants (Camponotus, Pheidole, Crematogaster) recorded in diet. Met with singly, in well-separated pairs, or in mixed-species flocks. Forages at middle levels in subcanopy up to treetops, on limbs, branches and trunks . More vigorous feeding techniques, such as pecking and hammering, seem to be commonest; flakes off pieces of bark, also probes.

Far-carrying hissing “queea” or “shaa, gheh” or “shreeyr”, sometimes doubled, given at infrequent intervals; rattle-type call “kee” in series 6–8 seconds long, slowing towards end.

Probably breeds in Nov in Colombia and Venezuela; May–Jul in the Guianas, and Aug –Dec in Brazil to Bolivia. Hole built in stub, apparently not very high up, rarely to 15 m. Clutch size and incubation and fledging periods not documented.