Photo: marlin harms / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Acorn Woodpecker
Melanerpes formicivorus
Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) is a member of the Picidae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 79.6 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 formicivorus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 79.6 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Acorn Woodpecker is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Acorn Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) is a member of the Picidae family, within the order Piciformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA nw USA to Colombia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 79.6 g, with a wing length of about 14 cm and a tail of around 8.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Acorn Woodpecker?
The Acorn Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 79.6 g.
Where does the Acorn Woodpecker live?
The Acorn Woodpecker is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA nw USA to Colombia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Acorn Woodpecker belong to?
The Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Acorn Woodpecker eat?
The Acorn Woodpecker is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Acorn Woodpecker migrate?
The Acorn Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Acorn 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 Acorn Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Acorn 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 Acorn Woodpecker's range?
The Acorn Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 1.5 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.
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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.