Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
White Woodpecker
Melanerpes candidus
White Woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White Woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus) is a member of the Picidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 108 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Picidae Woodpeckers
- Genus Melanerpes
- Species candidus
Where it lives
Coastal Suriname and French Guiana; lower Amazon River, eastern, southeastern Brazil to southeastern Peru, northern Argentina and Uruguay
Quick facts
- Weight
- 108 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White Woodpecker is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The White Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White Woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus) is a member of the Picidae family, within the order Piciformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA coastal Suriname and French Guiana; lower Amazon River, e, se Brazil to se Peru, n Argentina and Uruguay.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 108 g, with a wing length of about 15.7 cm and a tail of around 9.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White Woodpecker?
The White Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 108 g.
Where does the White Woodpecker live?
The White Woodpecker is found across South America with a range covering SA coastal Suriname and French Guiana; lower Amazon River, e, se Brazil to se Peru, n Argentina and Uruguay, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the White Woodpecker belong to?
The White Woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the White Woodpecker eat?
The White Woodpecker is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the White Woodpecker migrate?
The White Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White Woodpecker endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the White Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the White Woodpecker — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White Woodpecker's range?
The White Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 5.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Picidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
More in Woodpeckers & Toucans
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Guides for this bird
Best Suet Feeders for Woodpeckers
How to choose a suet feeder for woodpeckers — the styles compared, why a tail prop helps, and how to keep starlings off. A decision framework with the woodpecker species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Picidae
A field guide to the Picidae family — 239 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.