Chestnut Woodpecker

Identification

The Chestnut Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker measuring 26 to 32 cm in length. Males are distinctive for their bright red malar area and cheek patch, while females lack red coloring entirely. In the nominate subspecies, both sexes display a buffish cream forehead, crown, and crest, contrasting with deep chestnut brown on the rest of the head, chin, and throat. The upperparts are deep rufous-chestnut with a cream-buff rump, and the underparts are dark chestnut brown, often with paler creamy cinnamon-buff flanks. The bill is ivory to greenish yellow, and the iris is red-brown to red. Six subspecies exist across the range, with variations in coloration: some are notably darker overall, while others are paler and brighter with different crown and rump tones.

Subspecific plumage differences can be pronounced; for instance, C. e. jumanus is darker with a shorter crest and more rufous coloring, while C. e. leotaudi is paler and brighter. Juveniles resemble adults but have a dull blackish face and darker mottling on the underparts, making age determination possible in the field.