Juvenile Red-crowned Woodpecker

Sightings
This juvenile Red-crowned Woodpecker Melanerpes rubricapillus is standing on a dead palm tree close to our room at the Blue Waters Inn in Tobago. The previous morning had seen considerable activity when the adults were bringing food to a nest hole in the tree and it is possible therefore that this bird has recently left the nest. It was still being fed by the adults at regular intervals.

Species
Red-crowned Woodpecker occurs in forests and semi-open woodland and cultivation. It nests in a hole in a dead tree or large cactus. The male of the species has a red crown patch and nape. The female has a buff crown and duller nape. Immature birds are duller, particularly in the red areas of the head and neck and this red patch is visible in the photograph. They feed on insects, but will take fruit and visit nectar feeders. There are four subspecies M. r. rubricapillus being found on Tobago.

Status and Distribution
The species is of least concern with an unknown population size and a range which covers over two million square kilometres. It is a resident breeding bird from south western Costa Rica south to Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas and Tobago, but is absent from Trinidad.

References
BirdLife; Wikipedia; World Bird Names; Kenefick, M., Restall, R., and Hayes, F. (2015) Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, Bloomsbury Publishing, page 176.

Photograph
The photograph was taken in early morning light with an overcast sky at 1/1000th of a second, f5.6 and ISO 2000.