bird · GBIF taxon 2478578
Magellanic Woodpecker
Campephilus magellanicusAlso known as Carpintero Negro, Magellan Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker of Patagonia
Magellanic woodpeckers are the undisputed giants of the southern beech forests, instantly recognizable by their massive size and the male's striking, fiery-red head crest. These social birds often travel in small family groups, communicating across the canopy with a resonant, double-tap drum and loud, nasal calls. They play a vital role as ecosystem engineers, excavating large cavities that later provide nesting sites for numerous other Patagonian birds and mammals.
Forest-dwellingVocalMonogamous
Licensed reference(c) Liam Quinn, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
- diet
- Insectivorous, focusing on wood-boring beetle larvae, supplemented with sap and fruits
- family
- Picidae
- threats
- Deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and loss of large decaying trees
- life Span
- 10 to 15 years
LC
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Highly dependent on old-growth forests, they are vulnerable to habitat loss from logging and forest fires.
Observe quietly from a distance of at least 20 meters, especially when they are excavating nests or feeding young.- Listen for the Double-Tap: Their signature communication is a rapid, powerful two-stroke drum that carries far through the quiet southern beech forests.
- Scan Mature Trees: Look for large, oval-shaped cavities in decaying or dead Nothofagus trees, which they use for nesting and roosting.
- Keep Your Distance: Avoid approaching nesting trees during the spring breeding season to prevent parent birds from abandoning their single chick.