Photo: Original dominic sherony , edited by User:Sadalmelik / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey-breasted Woodpecker
Melanerpes hypopolius
Grey-breasted Woodpecker (Melanerpes hypopolius) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Grey-breasted Woodpecker (Melanerpes hypopolius) is a member of the Picidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 52.4 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 hypopolius
Quick facts
- Weight
- 52.4 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey-breasted Woodpecker is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Grey-breasted Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Grey-breasted Woodpecker (Melanerpes hypopolius) is a species of bird in the Picidae family, part of the order Piciformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA sw Mexico.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 52.4 g, with a wing length of about 12.5 cm and a tail of around 9 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 82,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey-breasted Woodpecker?
The Grey-breasted Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 52.4 g.
Where does the Grey-breasted Woodpecker live?
The Grey-breasted Woodpecker is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA sw Mexico, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Grey-breasted Woodpecker belong to?
The Grey-breasted Woodpecker (Melanerpes hypopolius) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Grey-breasted Woodpecker eat?
The Grey-breasted Woodpecker is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Grey-breasted Woodpecker migrate?
The Grey-breasted Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Grey-breasted 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 Grey-breasted Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Grey-breasted 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 Grey-breasted Woodpecker's range?
The Grey-breasted Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 82,000 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.