Hispaniolan Woodpecker

The Hispaniolan Woodpecker (Melanerpes striatus) is a medium-sized woodpecker endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (split between the Dominican Republic and Haiti). It is found in mangroves, pine and palm trees, coffee plantations, dry and wet forests, and palm and pine trees. The species believe in wandering through gardens and forests in social groupings. They are regarded as pests with the potential to harm crops.

The Hispaniolan woodpecker is a bird with black and gold barred feathers that can reach lengths of 22 to 28 cm. The adult male is larger than the female and has a longer beak. He also has a red nape and crown. The back and wings are boldly striped in black and gold, while the top neck is boldly striped in black and white. The upper side of the tail is black with red upper-tail coverts, and the rump is greenish-yellow with some red on the feather tips. The underside of the tail is grey or olive, while the underside of the wings is a greyish-brown color with light spots and bars. The underparts are buff, brown, or olive with some black streaking on the flanks. The fore-crown is grey or buff, and the face and throat are greys. The legs are grey, the iris is yellow, and the long, slender beak is grey. The adult female resembles the male in appearance but has a red nape and a black crown. The juvenile has a dark iris, an orange nape, and a black crown with white and red markings.