Browse all birds

Golden-fronted Woodpecker Identification

Golden-fronted Woodpecker Male (Northern)
Male (Northern)

Barred black-and-white woodpecker with a tan breast. Males have a yellow spot in front of the eyes, a red crown, and a yellow-orange nape.

© Guillermo Lopez | Macaulay LibraryTexas, February 11, 2017
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Female (Northern)
Female (Northern)

Barred black-and-white woodpecker with a tan breast. The lower belly is yellow on northern birds, including the ones that occur in the United States. Females have a yellow patch in front of the eye and a yellow nape.

© Suzie McCann | Macaulay LibraryTexas, February 17, 2017
Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Northern) Adult female and male (Northern)
Adult female and male (Northern)

Both sexes care for the young. Here, the female brings a moth and waits for the male to leave before entering the nest hole.

© Timothy Barksdale | Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 29, 1998
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Male (Velasquez's)
Male (Velasquez's)

Nape color varies across its range from yellow-orange in the north, to red in Yucatán, to orange from Chiapas, Mexico, to Honduras. The lower belly color varies across the range; birds in the Yucatán have red lower bellies.

© Ian Davies | Macaulay LibraryQuintana Roo, February 04, 2014
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Female (Velasquez's)
Female (Velasquez's)

Individuals in the Yucatán have red napes and red lower bellies.

© John Nelson | Macaulay LibraryYucatán, May 10, 2016
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Male (Northern)
Male (Northern)

Eats cactus fruits as well as fruit at bird feeders.

© Becca Engdahl | Macaulay LibraryTexas, March 17, 2017
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Male (Northern)
Male (Northern)

Found in open to semiopen woodlands, second-growth forests, and brushlands.

© michelle cano | Macaulay LibraryTexas, February 19, 2017
See more images of this species in Macaulay Library

Compare with Similar Species

Click on an image to compare

Adult Description

  • Medium- to large-sized woodpecker.
  • Back barred black-and-white.
  • Orange-yellow back of neck.
  • White rump.
  • Male with red cap.

Immature Description

Juvenile similar to adult, but duller, with fine streaking on crown and breast, and only faint color on nape and nasal tufts. Eyes brown.
Relative Size

Relative Sizebetween robin and crowbetween robin and crow
Measurements
  • Both Sexes
    • Length: 8.7-10.2 in (22-26 cm)
    • Weight: 2.3-3.6 oz (65-102 g)
    • Wingspan: 16.9 in (43 cm)

Species in This Family

Woodpeckers(Order: Piciformes, Family:Picidae)

Lewis's WoodpeckerLewis's Woodpecker
Red-headed WoodpeckerRed-headed Woodpecker
Acorn WoodpeckerAcorn Woodpecker
Gila WoodpeckerGila Woodpecker
Golden-fronted WoodpeckerGolden-fronted Woodpecker
Red-bellied WoodpeckerRed-bellied Woodpecker
Williamson's SapsuckerWilliamson's Sapsucker
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerYellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-naped SapsuckerRed-naped Sapsucker
Red-breasted SapsuckerRed-breasted Sapsucker
Ladder-backed WoodpeckerLadder-backed Woodpecker
Nuttall's WoodpeckerNuttall's Woodpecker
Downy WoodpeckerDowny Woodpecker
Hairy WoodpeckerHairy Woodpecker
Arizona WoodpeckerArizona Woodpecker
Red-cockaded WoodpeckerRed-cockaded Woodpecker
White-headed WoodpeckerWhite-headed Woodpecker
American Three-toed WoodpeckerAmerican Three-toed Woodpecker
Black-backed WoodpeckerBlack-backed Woodpecker
Northern FlickerNorthern Flicker
Gilded FlickerGilded Flicker
Pileated WoodpeckerPileated Woodpecker
Ivory-billed WoodpeckerIvory-billed Woodpecker

Browse Species in This Family

More to Read