White Woodpecker
Melanerpes candidus
Silhouette: Jason Dilworth · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPiciformes (Woodpeckers and Allies)
- FamilyPicidae (Woodpeckers)
- GenusMelanerpes (Melanerpes Woodpeckers)
- SpeciesMelanerpes candidus (White Woodpecker)
About the White Woodpecker
The white woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus) is a South American species of woodpecker (family Picidae) native to the wooded grasslands of Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. It is a bright white bird with black wings and a distinctive small bright yellow eye patch. The IUCN has rated it as a "least-concern species".
The species was first described as Melanerpes candidus in 1796 by the French naturalist Bernhard Christian Otto, the type locality being Cayenne. It is sometimes placed in its own genus Leuconerpes, but shows many similarities in morphology to Melanerpes. No subspecies are known (monotypic).
This woodpecker grows to a length of 24 to 29 cm (9.4 to 11.4 in) and weighs around 108 g (3.8 oz), with a range of 98 to 131 g (3.5 to 4.6 oz). It is one of the largest Melanerpes woodpeckers along with the Jamaican woodpecker and Lewis' woodpecker. The mantle, back, wings and tail of the adult are black, the flight feathers being brownish-black above and the underside of the wings being greyish-black. The crown, face, rump and underparts are white, sometimes with some buff shading. The male has some yellowing of... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of White Woodpecker in Iguazú National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Iguazú National Park
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Melanerpes flavifrons
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Picumnus temminckii
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Colaptes campestris
Blond-crested Woodpecker
Celeus flavescens
White-spotted Woodpecker
Veniliornis spilogaster
Robust Woodpecker
Campephilus robustus
Lineated Woodpecker
Dryocopus lineatus
Green-barred Woodpecker
Colaptes melanochloros
Helmeted Woodpecker
Celeus galeatus
Toco Toucan
Ramphastos toco
Chestnut-eared Aracari
Pteroglossus castanotis
Red-breasted Toucan
Ramphastos dicolorus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emas National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | El Impenetrable National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 3 | El Palmar National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 4 | Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 5 | Iberá National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 6 | Chapada dos Guimarães National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 7 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 8 | Serra da Canastra National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 9 | Amboró National Park | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 10 | Itatiaia National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 11 | Iguaçu National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 12 | Serra dos Órgãos National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 13 | Madidi National Park | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 14 | Tijuca National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a White Woodpecker in Iguazú National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a White Woodpecker sighting in Iguazú National Park, based on 236 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see White Woodpecker in Iguazú National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for White Woodpecker in Iguazú National Park in our monthly data.