Bronze-winged woodpecker

The bronze-winged woodpecker was originally described as Chrysopicus aeruginosus.[4] It was later placed in genus Piculus but since about 2007 has been moved into Colaptes by taxonomic systems. The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World consider it a species. The American Ornithological Society and the Clements taxonomy treat it as a subspecies of the golden-olive woodpecker (C. rubiginosus).[5][6][3][7][8][2]

The bronze-winged woodpecker is monotypic.[3]

The bronze-winged woodpecker is 18 to 23 cm (7.1 to 9.1 in) long. Males and females have the same plumage except on their heads. Adult males have a slate gray forehead and crown with a red border back from above the eye to the red nape. They are pale buff to whitish from their lores around the eye to the red of the nape. They have a wide red malar stripe, a pale buffy white chin, and upper throat; the last has heavy blackish streaks. Adult females have red only on their nape. Both sexes have mostly green upperparts with a bronze tinge; their rump and uppertail coverts are paler and barred with dark olive. Their flight feathers are dark brownish olive with greenish edges and some yellowish on the shafts. Their tail is brown. Their underparts are pale buffy yellow with blackish olive scale-shaped bars. Their medium-length bill is slaty gray to black, their iris deep dull red, and the legs gray to olive-gray. Juveniles are generally duller than adults and have less well defined barring on their underparts.[9]

The bronze-winged woodpecker is found in eastern Mexico between the states of Tamaulipas and Veracruz.[9] It inhabits subtropical dry forest, secondary forest, and plantations. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 2,100 m (6,900 ft)[1]

The IUCN has assessed the bronze-winged woodpecker as being of Least Concern. It has a large range, and though its population size is not known it is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified.[1]