Photo: Adam Kumiszcza / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Andean Flicker
Colaptes rupicola
Andean Flicker (Colaptes rupicola) — 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 Andean Flicker (Colaptes rupicola) is a member of the Picidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 174 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 Colaptes
- Species rupicola
Quick facts
- Weight
- 174 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Andean Flicker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Andean Flicker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Andean Flicker (Colaptes rupicola) is a species of bird in the Picidae family, part of the order Piciformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA s Ecuador to nw Argentina.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 174 g, with a wing length of about 16.7 cm and a tail of around 11.8 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 785,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Andean Flicker?
The Andean Flicker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 174 g.
Where does the Andean Flicker live?
The Andean Flicker is found across South America with a range covering SA s Ecuador to nw Argentina, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Andean Flicker belong to?
The Andean Flicker (Colaptes rupicola) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Andean Flicker eat?
The Andean Flicker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Andean Flicker migrate?
The Andean Flicker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Andean Flicker 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 Andean Flicker make?
1 real field recording of the Andean Flicker — 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 Andean Flicker's range?
The Andean Flicker has a mapped global range of about 785,000 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
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Woodpeckers & Toucans
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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.