Photo: DickDaniels (http://theworldbirds.org/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Jamaican Woodpecker
Melanerpes radiolatus
Jamaican Woodpecker (Melanerpes radiolatus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of North America.
The Jamaican Woodpecker (Melanerpes radiolatus) is a member of the Picidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 108 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 radiolatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 108 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Jamaican Woodpecker is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Jamaican Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Jamaican Woodpecker (Melanerpes radiolatus) is a member of the Picidae family, within the order Piciformes. Its range spans North America. Its distribution covers NA Jamaica.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 108 g, with a wing length of about 13.3 cm and a tail of around 9.2 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 11,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Jamaican Woodpecker?
The Jamaican Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 108 g.
Where does the Jamaican Woodpecker live?
The Jamaican Woodpecker is found across North America with a range covering NA Jamaica, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Jamaican Woodpecker belong to?
The Jamaican Woodpecker (Melanerpes radiolatus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Jamaican Woodpecker eat?
The Jamaican Woodpecker is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Jamaican Woodpecker migrate?
The Jamaican Woodpecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Jamaican 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 Jamaican Woodpecker make?
1 real field recording of the Jamaican 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 Jamaican Woodpecker's range?
The Jamaican Woodpecker has a mapped global range of about 11,000 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.