Peru Bird Species XIII: Golden-olive Woodpecker

	Piciformes
	Picidae
	Colaptes
	Neotropics: Mexico to Most of South America
	Least Concern

Taxonomy & Naming

• Belongs to family Picidae, subfamily Picinae

• Scientific name Colaptes rubiginosus means “full of rust,” a nod to its rusty-olive plumage 

Physical Description

• Measures about 20–22 cm (7.9–8.7 in), weight ~68–75 g 

• Adults have golden‑olive upperparts with barred tail; grey forecrown, red hindcrown

• Face pale yellow‑white; underparts barred black and yellowish

• Males display a red moustachial (malar) stripe; females lack it

Distribution & Habitat

• Resident from southern Mexico through Central America and most of mainland South America (excluding Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay) plus Trinidad & Tobago

• Occupies diverse forested landscapes: rainforests, cloud forests, oak‑pine woodland, deciduous and dry forests, riparian zones, mangroves, forest edges, shade coffee plantations 

• Elevational range varies by region (e.g. up to ~2 100 m in Mexico, 2 300 m in Peruvian Andes)

Subspecies

• Approximately 19–20 subspecies, differing in shade of barring and underpart coloration

• Examples include C. r. yucatanensis (Mexico to Panama), C. r. chrysogaster (central Peru), C. r. trinitatis (Trinidad), C. r. canipileus (Peru/Bolivia

Behavior & Diet

• Year‑round resident; non‑migratory 

• Forages in mid‑layer to canopy of mature trees—trunks, branches, vines—alone, in pairs, or in mixed-species flocks

• Uses pecking, probing, prying, gleaning to capture prey 

• Diet: predominantly ants, termites, and wood‑boring beetles and larvae; occasionally fruits and berries; feeding on Müllerian bodies recorded but rar

Breeding

• Breeding season varies geographically: e.g. January–May in Mexico–Colombia; December–June/July in Ecuador and Peru; possibly includes October in Guyana 

• Excavates nest cavities 1.2–18 m above ground in living/dead trees or palms

• Clutch size: 2–4 white eggs incubated by both parents; nestlings fed by regurgitation; fledging ~24 days after hatching 

Conservation Status

• IUCN status: Least Concern despite unknown total population and suspected gradual decline

• Estimated range ~12.6 million km²; declines not rapid enough to meet vulnerability thresholds; species fairly common across range, present in protected area

Conclusion

The Golden‑olive Woodpecker is a versatile, widespread Neotropical woodpecker with many regional variants. Its has a distinctive olive plumage, red facial markings on males, and varied habitat tolerance—from dense forests to coffee plantations. Although its population trend appears to be decreasing, its enormous range and adaptability have kept its conservation status as Least Concern.

Source: Wikipedia

Photo: Holmes Pantoja