An attractive, medium-sized crested, somewhat uncommon bird, of humid tropical lowlands.

Meet Chestnut-colored woodpecker

The chestnut-colored woodpecker (Celeus castaneus) measures 28 cm in length and weighs in at about 127g. This bird’s plumage is mostly rich unbarred chestnut brown with a yellow rump and flanks and a yellowish crest. The wings and tail are black and the bill is yellow-white. The male has a red malar (cheek) stripe.

“Chestnut-colored Woodpecker 2014-11-16 (3)” by Don Henise is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Males and females look alike, though the male can be differentiated by his red (cheek) stripe.

The C. e. leotaudi of Trinidad is smaller, paler, and much brighter than the mainland forms.

“chestnut-colored woodpecker” by ninahale is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

This bird is found in Latin America Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Being woodpeckers they like to inhabit well-forested areas and other closed woodlands. However, they can also sometimes be found in urban gardens.

The Chestnut Woodpecker mostly feeds on insects (including termites) and some fruits. They will also accept table scraps and are known for raiding bird feeders.

They nest in the cavities of dead trees with the chamber floor being up to 30 cm below the entrance. The average clutch consists of 3 white eggs.

This bird is considered as of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

“Chestnut-colored woodpecker” by ryanacandee is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

You can watch this bird right here in the video below: