Woodpeckers (Picidae)
West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) - HBW 7, p. 449
French: Pic à sourcils noirs
German: Bahamaspecht
Spanish: Carpintero Antillano
Other common names: Great/West Indian Red-bellied Woodpecker; Bahama Woodpecker (nyeanus, blakei); Cayman Woodpecker (caymanensis); Cuban Red-bellied Woodpecker (superciliaris)
Taxonomy: Picus superciliaris Temminck, 1827, Cuba.
Sometimes combined with other barred congeners in a separate genus Centurus. Forms a superspecies with M. carolinus. Birds on Grand Bahama sometimes separated as race bahamensis: on average marginally shorter-billed, slightly darker below and tending to show slightly more black behind eye, but otherwise identical to San Salvador race nyeanus, which is itself somewhat variable, so the two are more appropriately lumped. Race caymanensis formerly considered a separate species. Five subspecies currently recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- nyeanus (Ridgway, 1886) - Grand Bahama and San Salvador (N & E Bahamas).
- blakei (Ridgway, 1886) - Great Abaco (N Bahamas).
- superciliaris (Temminck, 1827) - Cuba, Cantiles Keys and associated keys.
- nyeanus (Ridgway, 1886) - Grand Bahama and San Salvador (N & E Bahamas).
- blakei (Ridgway, 1886) - Great Abaco (N Bahamas).
- superciliaris (Temminck, 1827) - Cuba, Cantiles Keys and associated keys.
- murceus (Bangs, 1910) - I of Pines, Cayo Largo and Cayo Real.
- caymanensis (Cory, 1886) - Grand Cayman.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A female and then a male arriving to the nest with food for the chicks Locality Zapata Peninsula, Matanzas Province, Cuba (ssp superciliaris)
Josep del Hoyo 2 August 2004 8 years ago 36 sec 4.7 -
A male using a tree crevice to hold a palm nut, which it then breaks and eats Locality Jibacoa, La Habana Province, Cuba (ssp superciliaris)
Joe Angseesing 31 March 2007 4 years ago 47 sec 4.6 -
A female feeding from a dead tree Locality Zapata Peninsula, Matanzas Province, Cuba (ssp superciliaris)
Josep del Hoyo 30 July 2004 8 years ago 28 sec 4.6 -
A male and then a female arriving to the nest with food for the chicks Locality Zapata Peninsula, Matanzas Province, Cuba (ssp superciliaris)
Josep del Hoyo 2 August 2004 8 years ago 36 sec 4.3 -
In the coconut tree. Locality La Palma, Pinar del Río Province, Cuba
Eduardo Tejeda Lima 16 February 2013 10 weeks ago 25 sec 4.3 -
A male entering the nest with food and leaving with waste to keep the nest clean Locality Zapata Peninsula, Matanzas Province, Cuba (ssp superciliaris)
Josep del Hoyo 2 August 2004 8 years ago 30 sec 4.2
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Female West Indian Woodpecker enjoying breakfast.
Locality Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base, Guantánamo Bay, Guantánamo Province, Cuba
Carlos Rodriguez 5 October 2012 24 weeks ago 4.5 -
Male Woodpecker coming out of the nest.
Locality Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base, Guantánamo Bay, Guantánamo Province, Cuba
Carlos Rodriguez 11 July 2011 24 weeks ago 4.3 -
Adult bird at nest on Roystonea regia palm
Locality Matanzas Province, Cuba
Rafael Merchante 29 December 2008 6 days ago ADDED LAST WEEK 4.2 -
Resting near the river.
Locality La Jagua Vieja, Pinar del Río Province, Cuba
Eduardo Tejeda Lima 18 February 2013 11 weeks ago 4 -
Climbing a tree
Locality Breezes Jibacoa, Santa Cruz del Norte, La Habana Province, Cuba (ssp superciliaris)
Joe Angseesing 2 April 2007 3 years ago 4 -
Eating from a tree, with the tongue out
Locality Cuba
jdrpc 3 July 2006 4 weeks ago 3.8
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An individual drums on a tree; the same bird then gives a single call before it flies off Locality Breezes Jibacoa, Santa Cruz del Norte, La Habana Province, Cuba
(ssp superciliaris)
Joe Angseesing 3 April 2007 3 years ago 3.5
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