Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Checkered Woodpecker
Veniliornis mixtus
Checkered Woodpecker (Veniliornis mixtus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Checkered Woodpecker (Veniliornis mixtus) is a member of the Picidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 28.7 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 Veniliornis
- Species mixtus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 28.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Checkered Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Checkered Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Checkered Woodpecker (Veniliornis mixtus) is a species of bird in the Picidae family, part of the order Piciformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA e, c, se.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 28.7 g, with a wing length of about 8.5 cm and a tail of around 5.1 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 3.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Checkered Woodpecker?
The Checkered Woodpecker is a small bird that weighs around 28.7 g.
Where does the Checkered Woodpecker live?
The Checkered Woodpecker is found across South America with a range covering SA e, c, se, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Checkered Woodpecker belong to?
The Checkered Woodpecker (Veniliornis mixtus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Checkered Woodpecker eat?
The Checkered Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Checkered Woodpecker migrate?
The Checkered Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Checkered 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 Checkered Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Checkered 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 Checkered Woodpecker's range?
The Checkered Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 3.6 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.