The West Indian woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and Cuba.
Region
Caribbean
Typical Environment
Occurs on the larger islands and cays of the Bahamas, throughout much of Cuba including Isla de la Juventud, and in the Cayman Islands. It favors open woodlands, dry forests, pine and palm savannas, and forest edges. Mangroves, plantations, farms, and urban parks are also commonly used. The species relies on dead or decaying wood for nest cavities but will use living palms and human structures when available.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A conspicuous island woodpecker of the Bahamas, Cuba, and the Cayman Islands, it readily uses palms, dead snags, and even wooden utility poles for foraging and nesting. It helps control wood-boring insects but can occasionally damage timber when excavating cavities. Both sexes drum loudly and respond quickly to territorial intrusions, making them easy to detect. They often adapt well to human-modified habitats, including farms and parks.
Temperament
alert and territorial
Flight Pattern
undulating with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in pairs, maintaining and defending territories year-round. Pairs excavate nest cavities together and share incubation and chick-rearing duties. They drum to advertise territory and use a variety of perches, including palms and utility poles.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations include sharp, rolling calls and chatter-like ‘churr’ notes. Drumming is loud and resonant on hollow wood, used for communication and territorial display. Calls often accelerate during interactions with neighbors.
Plumage
Boldly barred black-and-white upperparts with a pale, buff-washed underside; face pale with a prominent white supercilium. Males show a red crown extending to the nape, while females typically have red restricted to the nape. The back and wings are distinctly barred; tail mostly dark. Feathers appear tight and glossy with crisp contrast on the mantle and wings.
Diet
Eats a wide array of insects and larvae, including beetles, ants, and wood-borers gleaned from bark and dead wood. Also takes fruits, berries, and seeds, and may sip nectar from blossoms. Opportunistically consumes small vertebrates or eggs on occasion. Food is often stored in crevices when abundant.
Preferred Environment
Forages on trunks, branches, and palm crowns, frequently probing dead wood and bark crevices. Will also feed in plantations, gardens, and along forest edges, using fence posts and utility poles. Mangrove edges and open savannas with scattered trees are commonly used feeding sites.
