The pale-crested woodpecker a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay.
Region
South America
Typical Environment
Occurs from eastern Bolivia and western Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina, especially in the Gran Chaco, Pantanal, and adjacent dry woodlands. It favors open to semi-open forests, gallery woodlands, and wooded savannas with scattered large trees. The species often uses edges, riparian corridors, and areas with dead or decaying wood for foraging and nesting. It tolerates moderately disturbed habitats but requires suitable trees for cavity excavation.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The pale-crested woodpecker is a medium-sized Celeus with a distinctive pale, shaggy crest that contrasts with its darker, barred body. It specializes in feeding on ants and termites, often probing dead wood and softer trunks. Males show a red malar stripe that females lack, making sexing in the field straightforward. Its steady drumming and nasal calls are common sounds in dry forests and savannas of south-central South America.
Celeus lugubris by Keulemans, 1897
Temperament
often in pairs, moderately shy
Flight Pattern
undulating with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, occasionally joining mixed-species flocks while foraging. Excavates nest cavities in dead or decaying trees; both sexes participate in excavation and incubation. Territorial drumming is used for communication and to advertise territories.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are nasal, whinnying notes and short rattled series. Drumming is a firm, even roll on resonant dead wood.
Plumage
Dark brown to blackish body heavily barred and scalloped with buff, contrasting with a pale, shaggy crest and paler face. Wings and back show buff barring; tail dark and fairly long. Males have a red malar stripe; females lack it.
Diet
Feeds primarily on ants and termites, gleaning from bark and probing into soft or decayed wood. Also takes wood-boring beetle larvae and other insects when available. Occasionally consumes fruits or berries, especially in the dry season when insect activity is reduced.
Preferred Environment
Forages on trunks, larger branches, snags, and fallen logs in dry forests, gallery woodlands, and wooded savannas. Frequently investigates termite galleries and dead stumps within semi-open habitats.
