Woodpeckers of Costa Rica
16 woodpeckers recorded in Costa Rica on the eBird network and profiled in the Birbs encyclopedia — the full list, with photos, sounds and ID notes, plus what's near you now.
16 woodpeckers have been recorded in Costa Rica on eBird, the global citizen-science database run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and carry a full profile in the Birbs encyclopedia. Every bird below is a member of this group — the family Picidae. Start with the well-known species, browse the complete list, then check which are being reported near you right now.
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Woodpeckers of Costa Rica to know first
Acorn WoodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorus
Black-cheeked WoodpeckerMelanerpes pucherani
Chestnut-colored WoodpeckerCeleus castaneus
Cinnamon WoodpeckerCeleus loricatus
Golden-naped WoodpeckerMelanerpes chrysauchen
Golden-olive WoodpeckerColaptes rubiginosus
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosus
Hoffmann’s WoodpeckerMelanerpes hoffmannii
Lineated WoodpeckerDryocopus lineatus
Olivaceous PiculetPicumnus olivaceus
Pale-billed WoodpeckerCampephilus guatemalensis
Red-crowned WoodpeckerMelanerpes rubricapillus
Red-rumped WoodpeckerVeniliornis kirkii
Rufous-winged WoodpeckerPiculus simplex
Smoky-brown WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus fumigatus
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus varius
Keep exploring
- Birds of Costa Rica
- Tyrant Flycatchers of Costa Rica (80 species)
- Hummingbirds of Costa Rica (52 species)
- Tanagers & Allies of Costa Rica (52 species)
- New World Warblers of Costa Rica (51 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Costa Rica (39 species)
- Ovenbirds & Woodcreepers of Costa Rica (35 species)
- Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Costa Rica (34 species)
- Sandpipers & Allies of Costa Rica (32 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of Costa Rica (27 species)
- Pigeons & Doves of Costa Rica (27 species)
- New World Sparrows of Costa Rica (26 species)
- Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Costa Rica (26 species)
- New World Blackbirds & Orioles of Costa Rica (24 species)
- Wrens of Costa Rica (24 species)
- Antbirds of Costa Rica (22 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Costa Rica (20 species)
- Cardinals & Grosbeaks of Costa Rica (19 species)
Woodpeckers in other regions
- Woodpeckers of Brazil (49 species)
- Woodpeckers of Colombia (44 species)
- Woodpeckers of Peru (38 species)
- Woodpeckers of Thailand (36 species)
- Woodpeckers of Ecuador (34 species)
- Woodpeckers of India (34 species)
- Woodpeckers of Argentina (28 species)
- Woodpeckers of Mexico (28 species)
- Woodpeckers of Indonesia (27 species)
- Woodpeckers of Malaysia (26 species)
- Woodpeckers of the United States (25 species)
- Woodpeckers of Tanzania (20 species)
Species and counts come from the eBird network; "recorded" means reported by birders to eBird. Family grouping follows the IOC World Bird List. Tap any bird for its full profile.
Frequently asked questions
How many woodpeckers are found in Costa Rica?
16 woodpeckers that we profile appear on Costa Rica's eBird-reported checklist. The full A–Z list is on this page; the real total can shift as eBird records are added.
Are all of these woodpeckers really found there?
Yes — each one is on Costa Rica's eBird checklist (reported by birders to the Cornell Lab's eBird), and each of these woodpeckers belongs to the family group named on this page. We don't rank them by abundance, because that varies by season and locale.
Where can I see woodpeckers in Costa Rica right now?
Use Birds Near You for live, location-based reports, or turn on rare-bird alerts to hear when a notable one shows up close to you.