Velasquez's Woodpecker
Melanerpes santacruzi
Silhouette: Jason Dilworth · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPiciformes (Woodpeckers and Allies)
- FamilyPicidae (Woodpeckers)
- GenusMelanerpes (Melanerpes Woodpeckers)
- SpeciesMelanerpes santacruzi (Velasquez's Woodpecker)
About the Velasquez's Woodpecker
The golden-fronted woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in the southern United States (mostly Texas), Mexico and parts of Central America.
The golden-fronted woodpecker was formally described in 1829 by the German naturalist Johann Georg Wagler under the binomial name Picus aurifrons. The specific epithet combines the Latin aurum, auri meaning "gold" with frons, frontis meaning "forehead", "brow" or "front". The type locality is the state of Hidalgo in south central Mexico. The golden-fronted woodpecker is now one of the 23 species placed in the genus Melanerpes that was introduced by the English ornithologist William Swainson in 1832.
Twelve subspecies are recognised, many of which are restricted to islands. M. a. aurifrons (Wagler, 1829) – central south USA to central south Mexico M. a. polygrammus (Cabanis, 1862) – Oaxaca to Chiapas (southwest Mexico)
M. a. grateloupensis (Lesson, RP, 1839) – south Tamaulipas to Puebla and central Veracruz (east Mexico) M. a. veraecrucis Nelson, 1900 – south Veracruz (east Mexico) to north Guatemala M. a. dubius (Cabot, S, 1844) –... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Velasquez's Woodpecker in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Melanerpes aurifrons
Yucatán Woodpecker
Melanerpes pygmaeus
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Dryobates scalaris
Lineated Woodpecker
Dryocopus lineatus
Golden-olive Woodpecker
Colaptes rubiginosus
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Pale-billed Woodpecker
Campephilus guatemalensis
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Tikal National Park | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 4 | Biotopo Cerro Cahuí | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 5 | Calakmul Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Velasquez's Woodpecker in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Velasquez's Woodpecker sighting in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Velasquez's Woodpecker in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve?
April has the highest sighting rate for Velasquez's Woodpecker in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve in our monthly data.