Description: Robust woodpecker, 33–40 cm in length, notably adapted to terrestrial life in high-altitude environments. Bill very long, strong, and fairly straight; legs long and powerful, more developed than in other woodpeckers, allowing it to walk and hop easily on the ground. Crown and nape gray to blackish-gray; back and wings strongly barred in dark brown and light brown. Underparts beige, with dark spots or small V-shaped markings concentrated on the chest. Rump pale, sometimes yellowish. Tail dark with partial pale barring; central rectrices elongated and pointed, projecting beyond the tail edge. The male shows a dark malar stripe with a red tip; the female lacks red in the malar. Iris pale yellow (bluish in juveniles). Sexes similar in size.

Geographic distribution: High-Andean species distributed along the Andes, from southern Ecuador and Peru, western Bolivia, and northern Chile to northwestern Argentina. In Argentina it is restricted to the northwest, where it inhabits the Puna and prepuna environments, mainly in Jujuy, Salta, Catamarca, and Tucumán, with records also in high sectors of La Rioja. It is resident, with seasonal altitudinal movements in some areas.

Habitat: Characteristic of open, rocky high-altitude environments. Occurs in puna grasslands, rocky outcrops, ravines, stony slopes, and edges of bofedales and quebradas, generally between 2,800 and 4,500 m a.s.l. Begins to appear in high-elevation grasslands above the Yungas, using rocky outcrops, cliffs, and occasionally human constructions as perches or nesting sites.

Feeding: Insectivorous. Feeds mainly on arthropods, especially larvae of coleopterans and lepidopterans, which it obtains by digging and probing the ground with its long bill (video). Forages in groups, covering large grassland areas around rocks and outcrops.

Behavior: Gregarious species that moves by walking or hopping on the ground, often in family groups or small flocks. Maintains an upright posture, with head and bill raised when alert. Vocal and very noisy, frequently calling when alarmed. Performs dust-bathing on the ground (video) and displays that include head movements, rocking, and wing-flapping (personal obs.). Unlike most woodpeckers, it feeds almost exclusively on the ground.

Nesting: Nests colonially, excavating burrows in earthen banks, cliffs, rocky slopes, or abandoned adobe constructions; rarely in trees. Tunnels may exceed 1 m in length and end in a breeding chamber. Both adults participate in feeding the chicks.

Conservation status: Species not threatened at national or international level. Locally common in suitable habitats, with no significant known threats.


Author of this compilation: Diego Carus and María Belén Dri – 03/04/2026