A medium-sized woodpecker with the back finely barred in black and yellow-green. The head has a complex pattern of black, white and red: the nape is red in both sexes; the difference is the malar stripe, red in the male and black in the female. The neck is white. The belly is white with black spots. The bill is long and dark gray. It measures 27 to 30 cm. Very adaptable, it uses the Chaco woodland, gallery forest, palm groves and even the surroundings of rural homes.
Behaviour
Solitary or in pairs. It moves along trunks and branches using its bill as a chisel to extract larvae and insects from the wood. Its tongue is long and tipped with a sticky barb to reach the insects' galleries. It nests in holes it excavates in medium-diameter trees. Its song is a series of descending "wi-wi-wi-wi" notes.
How and when to see it
Year round. Its drumming on the trunks is easily heard in the woodland. One of the easiest woodpeckers to see for its size and adaptability.
Where to see it in the Iberá
The gateways of the Great Iberá Park where green-barred woodpecker has confirmed presence:
Tours to see it
Verified providers operating at the gateways where green-barred woodpecker lives. You contact them directly on WhatsApp from the app.
- Esteros Ñe’é
Experiences with local storytelling and a cultural take on the marshes.★ 5.0 - Gaucho Argentino
Horseback journeys across a network of refuges in Iberá. Multi-day rides with overnight…★ 5.0 - Jurassic Plant - Night Tour
The only carnivorous-plant garden in Argentina and a pioneer in Latin America. A guided…★ 5.0 - Irupé Excursiones
Guided hiking. Guided visit to museums, historic sites, chapels and trails of the town…★ 5.0
Species profile
- Common nameGreen-barred Woodpecker
- Scientific nameColaptes melanochloros
- GroupBird
- StatusNative
Other species of the Iberá
Discover all the wildlife of the Iberá
More than 250 species with photos, profiles and the gateways where you can see them. Map, providers and trip planner. Free, no download needed.
Open Iberá Experience