Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cream-backed Woodpecker
Campephilus leucopogon
Cream-backed Woodpecker (Campephilus leucopogon) — 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 Cream-backed Woodpecker (Campephilus leucopogon) is a member of the Picidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 249 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 Campephilus
- Species leucopogon
Where it lives
Central Bolivia and western Paraguay to northwestern Uruguay and north-central Argentina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 249 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 Cream-backed 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 Cream-backed Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Cream-backed Woodpecker (Campephilus leucopogon) belongs to the Picidae family of the order Piciformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA c Bolivia and w Paraguay to nw Uruguay and nc Argentina.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 249 g, with a wing length of about 18.1 cm and a tail of around 10.5 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 1.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cream-backed Woodpecker?
The Cream-backed Woodpecker is a large bird that weighs around 249 g.
Where does the Cream-backed Woodpecker live?
The Cream-backed Woodpecker is found across South America with a range covering SA c Bolivia and w Paraguay to nw Uruguay and nc Argentina, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Cream-backed Woodpecker belong to?
The Cream-backed Woodpecker (Campephilus leucopogon) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Cream-backed Woodpecker eat?
The Cream-backed Woodpecker is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Cream-backed Woodpecker migrate?
The Cream-backed Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Cream-backed 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 Cream-backed Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Cream-backed Woodpecker — including its drumming — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Cream-backed Woodpecker's range?
The Cream-backed Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 1.1 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.