Birds of Patagonia: Magellanic Woodpecker

The Magellanic Woodpecker (Campephilus magellanicus) is biggest woodpecker in South America and one of the largest in the world. This iconic bird inhabits exclusively on mature Nothofagus forest along the Andes mountain range in Patagonia. The male has a crimson hood and crest, while the female entirely black with a red are on the base of the bill and more conspicuous crest. Both have white patches on the remiges feathers.

They feed mainly on wood-boring grubs, beetles and spiders that parasite both living and dead trees. Commonly they forage on pairs or small groups, they are very active, spending most of the daytime looking for prey. Usually they set at half the height of the tree and from there keep moving up, looking meticulously for parasites. Once those are found they hit the wood violently to get to them. The sight of this is an amazing spectacle by itself, as you can see here.

They breed in springtime (October to January), excavating a nest on a tree trunk or taking advantage of a previous one. They are monogamous, sharing all duties in nest-building, incubation, territorial and predator defense and young rearing. Females lay up to four eggs, and incubation last 15 to 17 days. After 2 to 3 years of being raised and assisted by their parents the young Magellanic Woodpeckers become sexually mature.