The red-stained woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Region
Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
Occupies lowland humid forests across much of the western and central Amazon in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. It uses both terra firme and seasonally flooded (várzea) forests, as well as forest edges and older secondary growth. Common along rivers and in areas with scattered dead snags for foraging and nesting. Typically forages from the understory to mid-canopy, moving methodically along trunks and branches.
Altitude Range
0–1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A small Amazonian woodpecker, the red-stained woodpecker is often overlooked because of its subtle plumage and quiet demeanor. It forages on trunks and thin branches, frequently joining mixed-species flocks. Its name refers to the rufous or reddish tones on the wings. By probing for wood-boring insects, it helps control forest pests.
Temperament
quiet and unobtrusive
Flight Pattern
short undulating flights between trees
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, and often joins mixed-species foraging flocks. Territorial drumming is brief and not especially loud. Nests in cavities excavated by the pair in dead wood; both sexes participate in excavation and incubation. Broods are fed by both parents.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft, including sharp, dry 'pik' notes and thin rattling trills. Drumming is a short, rapid roll delivered from a perch. Overall, the species is less vocal than many larger woodpeckers.
Plumage
Upperparts olive-brown to bronzy with fine pale barring; wings show rufous to reddish panels. Underparts buffy to whitish with narrow dark bars. Males have a red crown and forecrown; females lack red on the crown, showing brownish tones. Tail is dark with pale barring; face has light streaking and subtle facial lines.
Diet
Feeds primarily on insects and their larvae, especially beetles, ants, and termites. Probes, pecks, and scales bark to reach prey in dead or decaying wood and in crevices on thin branches. Occasionally gleans small arthropods from foliage. May take other small invertebrates when available.
Preferred Environment
Forages on trunks, slender branches, and dead snags from the understory to mid-levels. Also uses vines and bamboo clumps, particularly in semi-open forest and along edges.
