The red-rumped woodpecker is a species of bird in the subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found from Costa Rica south to Peru and east to Brazil, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Region
Central America and northern South America
Typical Environment
Occurs from southern Central America (Costa Rica and Panama) through northern South America, including Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, eastern Peru, northern Brazil, and the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. It favors humid and semi-humid forests, forest edges, gallery forests, and second growth. The species also uses plantations, wooded savannas, and rural gardens with scattered trees. It is generally absent from extensive treeless areas but tolerates moderate habitat disturbance.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Named for its distinctive red rump, this small woodpecker often forages on slender branches and vines rather than just large trunks. It adapts well to secondary growth and plantations, which helps it persist in human-modified landscapes. Its drumming is relatively light compared to larger woodpeckers, and males differ from females by having a red crown.
Temperament
generally unobtrusive; pairs or small family groups
Flight Pattern
undulating with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in pairs, occasionally joining mixed-species flocks while foraging. Pairs maintain small territories and excavate nest cavities in dead or decaying wood. Both sexes participate in incubation and chick rearing, with a small clutch typical of woodpeckers.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations include sharp, dry pik or tik notes and short rattling series. Drumming is brief and light, often a rapid, soft roll on thin branches or dead stubs.
