Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Melanerpes chrysogenys

Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Melanerpes chrysogenys, Female. Photograph taken in the greater Zihuatanejo area, Guerrero, March 2019. Photograph courtesy of Ron Woheau, Zihuatanejo.

Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Melanerpes chrysogenys, Males. Photographs taken in the greater Zihuatanejo area, Guerrero, March 2019. Photographs courtesy of Ron Woheau, Zihuatanejo.

Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Melanerpes chrysogenys, Male. Photograph taken in the greater Puerto Vallarta area, Guerrero, March 2014. Photograph courtesy of Dr. Tom Bartol, Carlsbad, California.

Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Melanerpes chrysogenys, Male. Photograph taken in greater Los Ėbanos area, Sinaloa, March 2022. Photograph and identification courtesy of David F Smith, Alamos, Sonora.

The Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Melanerpes chrysogenys, is a member of the Picidae Family of Woodpeckers. They are small in stature. The are Endemic to Mexico and are found within the Pacific Slope from Sinaloa to Oaxaca and as far west as Puebla at elevations below 1,500 m (4,900 feet). From a conservation perspective the Golden-cheeked Woodpecker is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. They are found in the middle and upper levels of arid and semi-humid forest, plantations, and in open areas with patches of trees. They feed as individuals or in pairs and consume ants, beetles, and seasonal fruits and seeds.