Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Melanerpes aurifrons
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPiciformes (Woodpeckers and Allies)
- FamilyPicidae (Woodpeckers)
- GenusMelanerpes (Melanerpes Woodpeckers)
- SpeciesMelanerpes aurifrons (Golden-fronted Woodpecker)
About the Golden-fronted 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 →
Closest Relatives at Tikal National Park
Velasquez's Woodpecker
Melanerpes santacruzi
Acorn Woodpecker
Melanerpes formicivorus
Black-cheeked Woodpecker
Melanerpes pucherani
Yucatán Woodpecker
Melanerpes pygmaeus
Pale-billed Woodpecker
Campephilus guatemalensis
Lineated Woodpecker
Dryocopus lineatus
Chestnut-colored Woodpecker
Celeus castaneus
Golden-olive Woodpecker
Colaptes rubiginosus
Smoky-brown Woodpecker
Leuconotopicus fumigatus
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Dryobates scalaris
Keel-billed Toucan
Ramphastos sulfuratus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Cañón del Sumidero National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Lago de Yojoa | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 4 | Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 5 | Pico Bonito National Park | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 6 | Cusuco National Park | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 7 | Calakmul Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 8 | El Triunfo | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 9 | Tikal National Park | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 10 | Celaque National Park | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 11 | Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 12 | Biotopo Cerro Cahuí | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 13 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 15 | Celestún Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 16 | La Tigra National Park | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 17 | Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇧🇿 Belize | |
| 18 | Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 19 | Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Golden-fronted Woodpecker in Tikal National Park?
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Golden-fronted Woodpecker sighting in Tikal National Park, based on 963 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Golden-fronted Woodpecker in Tikal National Park?
April has the highest sighting rate for Golden-fronted Woodpecker in Tikal National Park in our monthly data.