21-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA, COSTA RICA - HOFFMANN'S WOODPECKER (Melanerpes hoffmannii)

The Hoffmann's woodpecker, a striking avian species, is a medium-sized woodpecker measuring 18 to 21 cm in length and weighing between 62 to 84 grams. It exhibits sexual dimorphism in its head pattern. The male is adorned with a bright red crown and a yellow or orange nape, while the female sports a more subdued white crown and a pale yellow nape. Both sexes share a drab yellowish-gray face and throat, with a back and upper rump barred in black and white. The lower rump and uppertail coverts are a pristine white, and their flight feathers are black with white bars and spots. The tail is predominantly black with white accents. The underparts are a mix of dull grayish to yellowish white, with a central belly of bright yellow and flanks of dull yellowish white barred with black. Their bill is a stark black, eyes a hazel hue, and legs range from bluish gray to gray.

When identifying Hoffmann's woodpecker, look for the distinctive head patterns that differ between males and females. The male's bright red crown and yellow or orange nape contrast with the female's white crown and pale yellow nape. The barred pattern on the back and the unbarred white lower rump are also key features. The bird's size and the black and white barring on the wings during flight are additional identification markers.

This woodpecker favors dry and deciduous forests, as well as more open landscapes such as shade coffee plantations, urban parks, and residential gardens.

Hoffmann's woodpecker is native to Central America, with its range extending from southwestern Honduras through Nicaragua on the Pacific slope to central Costa Rica. There is also a single recorded sighting in El Salvador.

A year-round resident, Hoffmann's woodpecker is known to forage from the forest understory to the canopy and has been observed feeding on the ground. It is a territorial bird, especially during the breeding season, when it aggressively defends its nesting site.

The most common vocalization is a "churrr" sound made by both sexes. Other calls include a "querulous, grating, woick-a woick-a woick-a" or "wicka wicka wicka." The species is also known to drum on dead wood and occasionally on metal structures.

The breeding season spans from January to July, with the possibility of two broods being raised. Nest cavities are excavated by both sexes in soft dead wood, living palms, or fence posts, usually 1 to 6 meters above ground. The clutch typically consists of two or three eggs, with both parents sharing incubation duties and provisioning for the nestlings. The exact incubation period and time to fledging remain unknown.

Hoffmann's woodpecker's diet primarily consists of arthropods, which it extracts from decaying wood. It also consumes a variety of fruits and nectar from large flowers, and occasionally preys on the eggs of other birds.

The IUCN has classified Hoffmann's woodpecker as Least Concern. With an estimated population of at least 50,000 mature individuals, the species is believed to be increasing in number. Although deforestation has expanded its distribution, the elimination of dead trees poses a threat by reducing available nesting substrates.