Silhouette: Arthur A. Allen (modified) · PhyloPic

Crimson-crested Woodpecker

Campephilus melanoleucos

Silhouette: Arthur A. Allen (modified) · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPiciformes (Woodpeckers and Allies)
FamilyPicidae (Woodpeckers)
GenusCampephilus (Large American Woodpeckers)
SpeciesCampephilus melanoleucos (Crimson-crested Woodpecker)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Itatiaia National Park

1 Verified sightings at Itatiaia National Park From 2019 to 2026

11,436 Verified sightings across all 34 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Crimson-crested Woodpecker

The crimson-crested woodpecker (Campephilus melanoleucos) is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Panama, Trinidad, and in every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay.

The crimson-crested woodpecker was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the other woodpeckers in the genus Picus and coined the binomial name Picus melanoleucos. The specific epithet melanoleucos combines the Ancient Greek melas meaning "black" with leukos meaning "white". Gmelin based his description on the "buff-crested woodpecker" from Surinam that had been described and illustrated in 1782 by the English ornithologist John Latham from a specimen in the Leverian Museum in London.

The crimson-crested woodpecker was for a time placed in genus Scapaneus but this was merged into the genus Phloeoceastes by James Peters in 1948. The genus Phloeoceastes was itself merged into the current genus Campephilus by Lester Short in 1982. The crimson-crested woodpecker has three subspecies:

C. m. malherbii... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Itatiaia National Park

Campephilus robustus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Picumnus cirratus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Veniliornis spilogaster

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Piculus aurulentus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Colaptes melanochloros

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Colaptes campestris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Dryocopus lineatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Melanerpes candidus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

LC Endemic

Veniliornis maculifrons

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Melanerpes flavifrons

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Celeus flavescens

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Picumnus albosquamatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~40%
2	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~40%
3	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
4	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
5	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~30%
6	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
7	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%
8	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
9	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%
10	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
11	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
12	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~10%
13	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
14	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
15	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
16	Canaima National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~10%
17	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
18	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	<5%
19	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	<5%
20	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
21	Serra da Canastra National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
22	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
23	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
24	Podocarpus National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
25	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
26	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	Insufficient data
27	Utría National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
28	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
29	Brownsberg Nature Park	🇸🇷 Suriname	Insufficient data
30	Puracé National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
31	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
32	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
33	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
34	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data

← Back to Itatiaia National Park

Crimson-crested Woodpecker

About the Crimson-crested Woodpecker

Recent sightings of Crimson-crested Woodpecker in Itatiaia National Park

Closest Relatives at Itatiaia National Park

Robust Woodpecker

White-barred Piculet

White-spotted Woodpecker

White-browed Woodpecker

Green-barred Woodpecker

Campo Flicker

Lineated Woodpecker

White Woodpecker

Yellow-eared Woodpecker

Yellow-fronted Woodpecker

Blond-crested Woodpecker

White-wedged Piculet

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found