Golden-cheeked Woodpecker

The golden-cheeked woodpecker (Melanerpes chrysogenys) is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is endemic to Mexico. == Taxonomy and systematics == The golden-cheeked woodpecker has sometimes been placed in genus Centurus. It has two subspecies, the nominate M. c. chrysogenys (Vigors, 1839) and M. c. flavinuchus (Ridgway, 1911). == Description == The golden-cheeked woodpecker is about 19 to 22 cm (7.5 to 8.7 in) long and weighs 55 to 88 g (1.9 to 3.1 oz). The sexes' plumage is alike except for their head pattern. Adult males of the nominate subspecies have a whitish forehead, a red crown, and a yellow-gold nape and hindneck. Adult females have the same whitish forehead but a grayish-buff crown and an orange-red nape. In both sexes a wide black area surrounds the eye. Their upperparts are barred black and white; the black is widest on the rump and uppertail coverts. Their flight feathers are black with white bars throughout. Their tail is black with white bars on the central pair of feathers and progressively more white on each pair out from them. Their lores and under the eye are deep golden-yellow and their cheeks, chin, and throat…