Species profile
About this species
The Blonde-crested Woodpecker is a striking medium-sized woodpecker native to South America, found primarily in Brazil, Paraguay & Argentina. It is distinguished by its pale yellowish-cream crest & head contrasting with a black body, along with a red malar stripe in males. The species inhabits forests & woodland edges, where it forages for insects, particularly favouring arboreal termite mounds.
The Blonde-crested Woodpecker inhabits humid & semi-humid Atlantic Forest, cerrado woodland, & gallery forests across eastern & central South America. It shows a strong preference for areas with mature trees containing termite colonies & dead wood, often found at forest edges & secondary growth areas.
Where to photograph
Where our trips feature this species
You can photograph Blonde-crested Woodpecker with us in Brazil.
These departures are part of our South America programme.
In the field, David Miles helps guests make the most of these encounters.
Field notes
Photography notes
Early morning hours between sunrise & 9am offer the best activity levels & soft directional light. The dry season months from May to September tend to provide clearer visibility through thinning vegetation & more predictable bird movement.
Focus on locating active termite mounds in forested areas, as this species returns repeatedly to these feeding sites, allowing patient photographers to pre-compose their shots. Use a fast shutter speed of at least 1/1000s to freeze the rapid head movements during drumming & foraging activity. Position yourself with the light source behind you to best capture the distinctive pale crest & contrasting black plumage.
Available holidays
Trips featuring Blonde-crested Woodpecker
The holidays below are pulled from the same species relationship, so the guide stays tied to live departures rather than becoming a static article.