Pale-billed Woodpecker
Pale-billed Woodpecker

The pale-billed woodpecker inhabits the interior and edges of a variety of forested landscapes. The most common of these is lowland tropical evergreen forest. On the Pacific slope, which is drier than the Caribbean slope, it also occurs in tropical deciduous forest and mangroves. It forages mostly in the forest's mid- to upper levels but will feed on the ground at stumps and fallen logs. It generally seeks its prey on tree trunks and large limbs, excavating in decayed wood and scaling bark from dead. Its diet is not known in detail but is believed to be mostly large larvae of wood-boring beetles; the diet also includes termites and some small fruits.

Photographer: Dave Saunders

Pale-billed Woodpecker

The pale-billed woodpecker inhabits the interior and edges of a variety of forested landscapes. The most common of these is lowland tropical evergreen forest. On the Pacific slope, which is drier than the Caribbean slope, it also occurs in tropical deciduous forest and mangroves. It forages mostly in the forest's mid- to upper levels but will feed on the ground at stumps and fallen logs. It generally seeks its prey on tree trunks and large limbs, excavating in decayed wood and scaling bark from dead. Its diet is not known in detail but is believed to be mostly large larvae of wood-boring beetles; the diet also includes termites and some small fruits.

Photographer: Dave Saunders