The dot-fronted woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Argentina and Bolivia.
Region
Southern Andes
Typical Environment
Occurs in the Andean foothills and montane forests of northwestern Argentina and central to southern Bolivia. It favors semi-humid Yungas forest, woodland edges, and riparian groves, and also uses drier Chaco-transition woodlands with scattered trees. The species tolerates secondary growth and selectively logged areas provided large trees and deadwood remain. It forages from lower trunks to mid-canopy, often along forest edges and clearings.
Altitude Range
700–2500 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known as the dot-fronted woodpecker, it is a small Andean woodpecker of Argentina and Bolivia. Some authorities still place it in the genus Veniliornis, reflecting recent taxonomic shifts within Neotropical woodpeckers. It is often overlooked due to its cryptic, finely spotted plumage and quiet foraging habits. Pairs typically maintain territories year-round and communicate with soft calls and brief drumming.
Temperament
quiet, wary, and active
Flight Pattern
undulating with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs; occasionally joins mixed-species flocks in the midstory. Nests in cavities it excavates in dead or decaying wood. Both sexes are believed to share incubation and chick-rearing duties. Territorial drumming is brief and often subdued compared to larger woodpeckers.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft, including short pik or tchik notes given while foraging. Drumming is a quick, light roll on resonant branches. It calls more frequently during the breeding season but is generally inconspicuous.
Plumage
Overall brownish to olive-brown with fine pale spotting on the forehead and small dots or streaks on the face and underparts; upperparts show narrow pale barring. Underparts are buff to whitish with dusky streaks. Feathers appear tight and smooth, aiding its cryptic look against bark.
Diet
Primarily feeds on insects and their larvae, including beetles, ants, and wood-boring larvae. It gleans from bark, probes crevices, and makes short pecks to extract prey rather than heavy chiseling. Occasional consumption of small fruits or sap may occur seasonally.
Preferred Environment
Forages on trunks and larger branches in semi-humid montane forest, woodland edges, and riparian strips. Frequently uses standing dead trees and broken limbs where insects are concentrated. It also works along edges and secondary growth where light penetration increases insect activity.
