The Story
I photographed this Cream-colored Woodpecker (Celeus flavus) on the Orteguaza River at Puerto Arango, near Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia, in February 2020. It lives in most mainland South American countries, mostly below 400 meters. It eats mainly ants and termites, often breaking into their nests in trees, along with fruit and seeds. It usually feeds in pairs or small groups. In Colombia it nests between April and June. Its numbers are believed to be decreasing, and it is generally rather uncommon. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 1600, −0.7 EV. From the Marco Polo ferry, on a two-hour trip along the Orteguaza River, passengers see the Hacha River flow into the Orteguaza and watch for birds.
©2022 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Cream-colored Woodpecker (Celeus flavus) belongs to the family Picidae (Woodpeckers) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2024), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List