The Story
This Crimson-crested Woodpecker (Campephilus melanoleucos) perched on a gnarled branch near the main park in La Macarena, in Meta, Colombia, its red head and pale bill bright against black and white plumage. It is one of the largest woodpeckers in its range, found in Panama, Trinidad and every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay. Some birds have been seen feeding on termites, and small berries and seeds are also part of its diet. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
I used a Canon R5 with the RF 800mm f/11 plus the RF 1.4x extender for this one, at 1/125 sec, f/16, ISO 3200, −0.5 EV. La Macarena sits beside Sierra de la Macarena National Park, and visits to Caño Cristales are organized through local associations of guides and boat operators.
©2023 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Crimson-crested Woodpecker (Campephilus melanoleucos) 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 2020), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List