Acorn Woodpecker
Acorn WoodpeckerAcorn WoodpeckerAcorn WoodpeckerAcorn Woodpecker

Acorn Woodpecker

Melanerpes formicivorus

Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
20 Verified sightings at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary From 2019 to 2026
22,961 Verified sightings across all 25 parks From 2019 to 2026
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Acorn Woodpecker

The acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) is a medium-sized woodpecker with a length of around 20 cm (8 in), and an average weight of 85 g (3.0 oz). It is found across Central America, as well as North into the western United States and South into parts of Colombia.

The acorn woodpecker was formally described in 1827 by the English naturalist William Swainson under the binomial name Picus formicivorus from a specimen collected in Mexico. The specific epithet combines the Latin formica meaning "ant" with -vorus meaning "eating". The type locality is Temascaltepec in Mexico. The acorn woodpecker is one of 24 species now placed in the genus Melanerpes that was introduced by Swainson in 1832. Within Melanerpes the acorn woodpecker is sister to a clade containing two South American species: the white woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus) and the white-fronted woodpecker (Melanerpes cactorum).

Seven subspecies are recognised: M. f. bairdi Ridgway, 1881 – Oregon (USA) to north Baja California (Mexico) M. f. angustifrons Baird, SF, 1870 – south Baja California (Mexico) M. f. formicivorus (Swainson, 1827) – southwest USA to southeast Mexico

M. f. albeolus Todd, 1910 – east Chiapas... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Golden-fronted Woodpecker
LC

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanerpes aurifrons

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Black-cheeked Woodpecker
LC

Black-cheeked Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanerpes pucherani

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Pale-billed Woodpecker
LC

Pale-billed Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Campephilus guatemalensis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Smoky-brown Woodpecker

Smoky-brown Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leuconotopicus fumigatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Lineated Woodpecker

Lineated Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dryocopus lineatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Chestnut-colored Woodpecker
LC

Chestnut-colored Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Celeus castaneus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Golden-olive Woodpecker
LC

Golden-olive Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Colaptes rubiginosus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
LC

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sphyrapicus varius

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Keel-billed Toucan
NT

Keel-billed Toucan

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ramphastos sulfuratus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Rufous-tailed Jacamar
LC

Rufous-tailed Jacamar

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Galbula ruficauda

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Collared Aracari
LC

Collared Aracari

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pteroglossus torquatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
White-whiskered Puffbird
LC

White-whiskered Puffbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Malacoptila panamensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Irazú Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~70%
2 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~70%
3 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~40%
4 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~40%
5 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~40%
6 Volcán Barú National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~40%
7 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
8 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
9 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
10 La Tigra National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~20%
11 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
12 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
13 Los Nevados National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~10%
14 Puracé National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
15 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
16 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
17 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
<5%
18 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
19 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
20 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
Insufficient data
21 El Triunfo 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
22 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
23 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
24 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
25 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Acorn Woodpecker in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Acorn Woodpecker sighting in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Acorn Woodpecker in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary?

November has the highest sighting rate for Acorn Woodpecker in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in our monthly data.

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