Photo: Yuri Hooker / CC BY 1.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous-headed Woodpecker
Celeus spectabilis
Rufous-headed Woodpecker (Celeus spectabilis) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of South America.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rufous-headed Woodpecker (Celeus spectabilis) is a member of the Picidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 114 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 Celeus
- Species spectabilis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 114 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous-headed Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Rufous-headed Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous-headed Woodpecker (Celeus spectabilis) is a member of the Picidae family, within the order Piciformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA w Amazonia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 114 g, with a wing length of about 14.6 cm and a tail of around 10.2 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 528,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-headed Woodpecker?
The Rufous-headed Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 114 g.
Where does the Rufous-headed Woodpecker live?
The Rufous-headed Woodpecker is found across South America with a range covering SA w Amazonia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Rufous-headed Woodpecker belong to?
The Rufous-headed Woodpecker (Celeus spectabilis) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Rufous-headed Woodpecker eat?
The Rufous-headed Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rufous-headed Woodpecker migrate?
The Rufous-headed Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous-headed 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 Rufous-headed Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-headed 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 Rufous-headed Woodpecker's range?
The Rufous-headed Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 528,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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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.