Striped Woodpecker

Identification

The striped woodpecker is a small woodpecker, measuring 15 to 16 cm in length and weighing 35 to 39 grams. The most distinctive feature is its striking head pattern: both sexes display a black forehead and crown with a blackish stripe running back and down from the eye, combined with a black malar stripe and generally white face. Males are readily distinguished by a red to orange-red nape and some streaking or spotting on the crown, while females have an entirely black nape and typically a solid black crown, though juveniles of both sexes may show a small red patch.

The upperparts are brownish-black with white markings that vary geographically: northern populations show white scallops while southern birds display narrow white bars. Flight feathers are barred black and white, and the dark tail bears narrow white or buff-white bars. The white or buff-tinged underparts feature black streaks on the breast and belly, with black barring on the flanks and undertail coverts. Juveniles appear duller and browner overall, with irregular barring above and heavy streaking below.

Range & Habitat

The striped woodpecker is found in two disjunct populations across the southern Andes: one in west-central and southern Bolivia extending to extreme northern Argentina, and another in central and southern Chile and southwestern Argentina. Elevations range from 1,600 to 4,000 metres in Bolivia, up to 1,800 metres in Chile, and to 2,700 metres in Argentina.

This adaptable species inhabits a diverse range of semi-open to open forest environments. These include moist to humid forests dominated by Nothofagus or Podocarpus trees, Polylepis woodlands, and drier areas with cacti and scattered trees. In northern regions, it penetrates the interior of mature wet forest with watercourses, while throughout its range it readily uses lightly treed pastures, orchards, plantations, and gardens.

Behaviour & Diet

The striped woodpecker is a year-round resident throughout its range, though it undergoes some elevational shifts between seasons. It typically forages alone but occasionally joins mixed-species feeding flocks. The bird feeds primarily on adult and larval insects, employing a versatile foraging technique that includes gleaning and probing as well as pecking and hammering to access food below the substrate surface.

Breeding occurs between June and September in Bolivia and October to January in Chile and Argentina. Both sexes excavate nest cavities in trees or cacti, typically 2 to 12 metres above ground, and both parents provision the nestlings. Clutches contain three to five eggs. The species is vocal, producing a loud "peek" call and a trill used as a long-distance signal.

Best Time & Places to See It

The striped woodpecker's year-round residency makes it potentially observable throughout the year, though local elevational movements between seasons may affect sightings. The species occurs in several national parks in Chile and Argentina, making these protected areas promising destinations for encounter.

Look for this woodpecker in semi-open forest habitats, gardens, orchards, and lightly treed pastures across its Andean range. Its preference for gleaning and probing means it often forages on smaller branches and vegetation where it is more visible than woodpeckers that focus on large trunk hammering. The striking head pattern, particularly the distinctive facial striping, makes identification relatively straightforward once located.

Photography Tips

The striped woodpecker's small size and often solitary foraging behaviour demand patience and a telephoto lens. Focus on capturing the distinctive head pattern—the contrasting black and white facial markings and the sexually dimorphic nape colouration are key diagnostic features worth isolating in your frame.

This species' tendency to forage in open semi-woodland and gardens offers better photographic opportunities than many woodpeckers, with less obscuring foliage. Early morning and late afternoon light will enhance the subtle white barring on the upperparts and the contrast between the dark and light plumage. Keep in mind that the Bolivian population differs from southern populations in several ways, potentially offering regional variation for comparison photography.