Magellanic Woodpecker
Campephilus magellanicus
LCLeast Concern
- Length
- 36–38 cm
- Family
- Woodpeckers (Picidae)
- Order
- Piciformes
Overview
The Magellanic woodpecker (Campephilus magellanicus) is a species of large woodpecker found in southern Chile and southwestern Argentina; it is resident within its range. This species is the southernmost example of the genus Campephilus, which includes the famous ivory-billed woodpecker (C. principalis).
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Diet: Wood-boring beetle larvae.
How to identify it
- Large black woodpecker
- Male: bright red head and crest
- Female: black curly crest with a little red at the bill base
Voice
Loud double-knock drumming.
Where to see it
- Torres del Paine, Chile
- Tierra del Fuego National Park, Argentina
Destination guides featuring this bird
Argentina
Beagle Channel and Ushuaia
The gateway to Antarctica with Patagonian forest and island seabird colonies.
- JJanuary: Best
- FFebruary: Best
- MMarch: Best
- AApril: Good
- MMay: Poor or no data
- JJune: Poor or no data
- JJuly: Poor or no data
- AAugust: Poor or no data
- SSeptember: Poor or no data
- OOctober: Good
- NNovember: Best
- DDecember: Best
Chile
Patagonia: Torres del Paine
Wind-swept steppe and southern beech forest under granite towers.
- JJanuary: Best
- FFebruary: Best
- MMarch: Good
- AApril: Poor or no data
- MMay: Poor or no data
- JJune: Poor or no data
- JJuly: Poor or no data
- AAugust: Poor or no data
- SSeptember: Poor or no data
- OOctober: Good
- NNovember: Best
- DDecember: Best
Range and habitat
Nothofagus forest of southwestern Argentina and southern Chile.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Magellanic woodpecker
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
