Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Celeus castaneus

Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Celeus castaneus. Photograph taken in the coastal region of Guatemala, March 2020. Photograph courtesy of Dr. Tom Bartol, Carlsbad, California.

Background and Identification

The Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Celeus castaneus, is a member of the Picidae Family of Woodpeckers. It is one of the fanciest-looking woodpeckers in Central America. The genus Celeus that the Chestnut-colored Woodpecker is a part of is composed of many chestnut-colored woodpeckers, all of which have a characteristic “hammer-head” crest. This species primarily feeds on ants and termites and limited amounts of fruits, other insects, nuts, and seeds. In Mexico, this species is known as Carpintero Castaño.

The Chestnut -colored Woodpecker is mid-sized in stature and has primarily brown plumage. This species is the most northern species of Celeus and is one of the smaller members of this genus. Males and Females have slightly different characteristics and appearance, making them slightly sexually dimorphic. Males can be distinguished by their red malar stripe (a stripe running from the beak down the sides of the face), which is absent in females. The bird also has a sturdy, straight bill typical of woodpeckers, designed for drilling into wood in search of insects.

Habitat and Geographical Range

The Chestnut-colored Woodpecker is found in humid evergreen and semi-deciduous forests and forest edges. Dense and humid forests are preferred, often in areas with plenty of dead or decaying trees. These areas provide ideal foraging and nesting sites. This woodpecker is often found at elevations up to 1,200 m (3,935 feet)  but is most common in the lowlands.

This Chestnut-colored Woodpecker is most commonly found in the lowland tropical forests of Central America, from southern Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua to western Panama. In Mexico, they are found in the coastal regions within the Atlantic Slope from central Veracruz, excluding the northwest corner of the Yucatán Peninsula, southward to Belize at elevations below 1,000 m (3,300 feet).

Common Misidentifications

The Chestnut-colored Woodpecker can sometimes be mistaken for the Lineated Woodpecker, Dryocopus lineatus, which also has a red crest but is larger and has a black body with white facial stripes. Another potential confusion might arise with the Rufous Woodpecker, Micropternus brachyurus, although this species has a more uniform rufous coloration and is found in Asia, not the Americas. Field identification between these two species would not be necessary in the wild due to their non-overlapping geographical ranges.

Conservation Status

From a conservation perspective the Chestnut-colored Woodpecker is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. While its habitat is threatened by deforestation and habitat fragmentation, the species is currently considered to have a stable population across its range. Conservation efforts focus on protecting the tropical forests where this species resides, ensuring that these critical habitats remain intact for the woodpecker and countless other species.