Yellow-eared Woodpecker Dryobates maculifrons Scientific name definitions

A very little-known species in terms of its biology, the Yellow-eared Woodpecker is confined to the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil, where it occurs in both secondary and primary forest areas in the lowlands and foothills, and is found from Bahia south to Rio de Janeiro state. Barred below and over the face, with olive-green upperparts marked with pale yellow spots and bars, and a distinctive yellow nape patch, the male has a red crown, which is replaced by black in the female. The species seems to be rather uncommon, but is certainly not rare, and its apparent tolerance of slightly degraded habitats should enable its conservation. It seems to join mixed-species feeding flocks, like other Veniliornis. However, almost nothing has been published concerning its breeding behavior.

c. 15 cm. Male  has brown forehead and crown feathers, tipped whitish on forehead, streaked white and tipped red on forecrown (red lost when worn), becoming largely red on hindcrown, pale golden-yellow nape and neck side; thin pale supercilium  from rear upper edge of eye barely visible; olive-brown ear-coverts streaked whitish; whitish chin and malar region spotted or barred olive, usually very thin white moustachial line; yellowish-green upperparts  sometimes slightly bronzey, with yellow spots or bars, rump more distinctly barred, median wing-coverts with faint streaks or spots; darkish brown flight-feathers barred pale yellow to white; uppertail dark brown, barred paler; off-white underparts all narrowly barred olive, dark bars broader on breast and flanks, underwing barred brown and white; undertail as above, but barring stronger; long bill straight, quite broad across nostrils, blackish, paler base; iris deep brown to reddish; legs olive or grey. Distinguished from similar V. affinis by darker forehead, brighter upperparts with yellow bars and no red tinges. Female differs from male in having crown olive with pale spots, golden tips on hindcrown merging with yellow nape . Juvenile  duller and more barred above than adult, with duller yellow nape, barring below more irregular and coarser, crown possibly with some red at front but insufficient details available.

E Brazil from SE Bahia S to Rio de Janeiro.

Secondary forest and parks in lowlands and hills.

Virtually no information; recorded feeding  on insect larvae  and pecking on an avocado  (Persea americana).

Almost no information. Nest in hole in a tree at c. 18 m above ground, with at least one well-grown young, found in Rio de Janeiro state in mid-Aug (1 Kirwan, G. M. (2009). Notes on the breeding ecology and seasonality of some Brazilian birds. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 17(2):121–136. Close ). Recorded also mating in Mar  and May  , and building nest in May  , Jun   and Jul .

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Restricted-range species: present in ­Atlantic Forest Lowlands EBA. A very little-known woodpecker, but appears to be common in at least S part of range. Occurs in Serra dos Órgãos National Park, in Nova Lombardia Biological Reserve, and in Sooretama Biological Reserve. Research and field studies required to determine its ecology and breeding biology. Attempts to determine and subsequently monitor this species’ population in this unique Brazilian habitat would appear to be desirable.