Birds of Colombia - Campephilus


Guayaquil Woodpecker (Campephilus gayaquilensis) Male Similar to the Crimson-crested Woodpecker, but with red from the bill to the eye (male) and less black and more red around the eye on the female.
Photograph by Joel N. Rosenthal © All Rights Reserved.


Guayaquil Woodpecker (Campephilus gayaquilensis) Female San Jorge de Milpe Orchid & Bird Reserve, Ecuador
Photograph by Nigel Eggers © All Rights Reserved.


Crimson-bellied Woodpecker (Campephilus haematogaster) Tapichalaca, Ecuador
Photograph by Patty McGann Copyright and usage info This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported. In short: you are free to share and make derivative works of the file under the conditions that you appropriately attribute it, and that you distribute it only under a license identical to this one.

A large woodpecker, and a bit thinner than the other more common larger species. In 2023 the Pacific coast subspecies was split off as the Splendid Woodpecker, which has a more mottled front, and more buff and less white markings.


Crimson-crested Woodpecker (Campephilus melanoleucos) Male Bahia Solano, Choco, Colombia
Photograph by Tom Friedel © All Rights Reserved.


Crimson-crested Woodpecker (Campephilus melanoleucos malherbii) Female ProAves Blue-billed Curassow Reserve, Puerto Pinzon, Boyaca, Colombia
Photograph by Tom Friedel © All Rights Reserved.

A large widespread woodpecker similar in size to the Lineated Woodpecker, but compare facial markings.


Powerful Woodpecker (Campephilus pollens pollens) Male La Romera, Itagui, Antioquia, Colombia
Photograph by Tom Friedel © All Rights Reserved.


Powerful Woodpecker (Campephilus pollens pollens) Female Rio Blanco Ecological Reserve, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
Photograph by Tom Friedel © All Rights Reserved.

Found from 1800m to 3500m, but more common in the higher parts of its range. Note short straight bill.


Red-necked Woodpecker (Campephilus rubricollis trachelopyrus) Male Puerto Maldonado, Peru On male note red head with white spot.
Photograph by Tom Friedel © All Rights Reserved.


Red-necked Woodpecker (Campephilus rubricollis rubricollis) Female Inírida, Guainía, Colombia Note white triangle behind bill on female.
Photograph by Tom Friedel © All Rights Reserved.

A large woodpecker similar in size to Lineated or Crimson-crested.


Splendid Woodpecker (Campephilus splendens) San Cipriano, Valle de Cauca, Colombia Large.
Photograph by Tom Friedel © All Rights Reserved.

A large woodpecker split from the Crimson-bellied Woodpecker of the western foothills, and only found in the Pacific lowland forests of central and south America.