Nombre en español: Carpintero Marcial

Nombre en ingles: Crimson-crested Woodpecker

Nombre científico: Campephilus melanoleucos

Familia: Picidae

Foto: Mauricio Ossa

Canto: Caio Brito

El picamaderos barbinegro o carpintero marcial (Campephilus melanoleucos) es una especie de ave piciforme de la familia de los pájaros carpinteros (Picidae), que se encuentra desde el sur de Panamá hasta el norte de Argentinay en Trinidad.

Descripción

Es un pájaro carpintero grande, que mide entre 33 y 38 cm de longitud y pesa en promedio 250 g. El macho presenta a cabeza y copete rojos, con una mancha blanca en la base del pico. La hembra tiene la corona y la parte de atrás de la cabeza negras y una larga línea blanca entre los ojos y la base del pico. Tiene una franja blanca a cada lado del cuello, que va hasta las escapulares. El dorso es negro con una “V” blanca. La garganta, la parte anterior del cuello y el pecho son negro uniforme. El vientre es blanco pardusco con rayas negras.

Alimentación

Se alimenta de larvas de insectos que viven escondidas detrás de las cortezas de árboles secos. También comen frutos.

Reproducción

Hace su nido excavando en la parte alta de troncos de árboles secos o palmeras. La hembra pone 2 a 3 huevos blancos y brillantes.

Hábitos

Vive en parejas o en grupos de hasta 5 individuos. Es común en áreas campestres arboladas, matorrales, palmas, bosques de galería.

Crimson-crested woodpecker

The crimson-crested Woodpecker (Campephilus melanoleucos) is a very large woodpecker which is a resident breeding birdfrom Panama south to northern border regions of Argentina, and on Trinidad.

The habitat of this species is forests and more open woodland. A nesting hole is excavated in large dead trees. The entrance is fairly large, about 45 to 50 cm (17.5 to 19.5 in) in diameter, and oval-shaped. Female lays 2 to 3 white eggs, sometimes four. Incubation lasts about 9 to 14 days, by both sexes. Woodpeckers have short incubation period, but at contrary, nesting period is longer than in other birds’ species. Chicks are brooded and fed by both parents, and remain at nest for 3 to 4 weeks after hatching. Young remain within the family group until next breeding season.

The crimson-crested woodpecker is 33–38 cm (13–15 in) long and weighs 180–285 g (6.3–10.1 oz). It is one of the largest woodpeckers in its range, though the higher elevation powerful woodpecker is roughly the same size.

It is all black above, has a red crest and has white lines running down the sides of the black throat and shoulders, which meet in a V on the back. The underparts are white, heavily barred with black. They show white on the wings in flight. Adult males have a red line from the bill to the throat and red on the front of the crown. In adult females, these plumage features are black.

The crimson-crested woodpecker somewhat resembles the pileated woodpecker of North America, but may be confused in its own range with the lineated woodpecker. The lineated woodpecker is the only bird of similar plumage and size. In that species, the white face line is narrower, and the white shoulder lines do not meet on the back.

Crimson-crested woodpeckers chip out holes, often quite large, while searching out insects in trees. They mainly eat wood-boring insects and larvae, as well as ants, termites, small vertebrates and caterpillars. The animal matter is sometimes supplemented with berries. Several of these large woodpeckers may be seen (4 or more) attracted to the same dead tree while feeding.

The call of this widespread but wary bird is a loud, ringing CHEE-sic. Both sexes drum.