I always like this one better than the more common here Hoffman’s or Black-cheeked Woodpeckers. And maybe that is because this one reminds me more of Woody Woodpecker. 🙂 And Woody is special in many ways, one being that he was born the same year as me, 1940. 🙂 But enough of that! The Lineated Woodpecker, Dryocopus lineatus (linked to my gallery), is a tropical forest bird found in both the lowlands and foothills (where I live) of Central & South America. In my gallery you can see that I’ve photographed him on both slopes of Costa Rica in many locations. Read about him on eBird.
The Lineated Woodpecker or Dryocopus lineatus (eBird link) is one of the more colorful woodpeckers found throughout Central America and in most of South America, standing out with their bright red head of hair! Here he is often confused with the less frequent Pale-billed Woodpecker, found only in Central America and southern Mexico, but his black face and the white neck line running all the way to his bill quickly distinguish him from the Pale-billed which cannot be identified by the bill because both have pale bills! 🙂 My Lineated Woodpecker Gallery shows that I’ve seen him all over Costa Rica including more than once here in my garden where this one was photographed in my Cecropia Tree last week, my favorite bird tree! 🙂
The featured photo above is a Lineated Woodpecker pecking away on a woodpecker hole that I think was already there with him enlarging it. It’s uphill from my house yesterday morning, an overcast day not really good for photos. But I tried anyway. Then along comes the smaller Hoffman’s Woodpecker (below photos) making a big fuss with the bigger woodpecker. I’m guessing that the hole was maybe the smaller bird’s home and he was fussing at the bigger “bully” taking over his home. I don’t know that for sure, but he was sure making a lot of noise and ruffling his feathers threateningly while the larger bird just kept working, ignoring the smaller bird. So, does another bully take over?
Hoffman’s Woodpecker fussing at bigger Lineated Woodpecker.
“The smaller the creature, the bolder its spirit.”
Welcome! is the translation for you English-only-speakers and one of the new Tico residents of Roca Verde decided that since he lives in the first house inside Roca Verde main gate he would contribute to the neighborhood with this nice welcome sign at 101 Roca Verde just across a little valley from my house at 105 (and he too overlooks the cow pasture). I can’t remember, but don’t think I have shown his welcome sign on the blog yet.
Also inside the main gate (before his sign and at edge of the cow pasture) is the above lovely shaped tree that just lost its leaves and is renewing them now in our sort of a Spring. Walking to town this morning I walked by the tree that I have always liked the shape of and decided on a cell phone photo – above. Then I saw a Lineated Woodpecker in it that soon flew to two of the other trees as I tried to make a photo (below), but I need my big camera for birds! No good photo, but you can see what else is welcoming you inside the Roca Verde gate. 🙂 Bienvenidos!
Lineated Woodpecker, Roca Verde Entrance
Lineated Woodpecker, Roca Verde Entrance
“Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky.”
— Kahlil Gibran
I was going to do one post with the first or early birds photographed here on the lodge grounds, but with 14 already I’m dividing it into two posts of 7 each. Then we go to another island today and the mainland tomorrow for many more birds I hope! But with slow internet, 7 is enough for one post!
Red-lored Parrot Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama
Red-lored Parrot Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama
There are also Mealy Parrots and Blue-headed Parrots here, but I have no photos of them yet.
Lineated Woodpecker Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama
Black-cheeked Woodpecker Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama
Boat-billed Flycatcher Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama
There is a slight difference between this flycatcher and the Kiskadee which I will show one of tomorrow. They are easy to confuse!
White-lined Tanager Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama
The “white line” is on his shoulder and only seen when in flight.
Blue-gray Tanager Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, Bocas del Toro, Panama
Living slow in the jungles on an island in the Western Atlantic or Western Caribbean Sea. It is very hot and humid and you tire easily but it is a great place with lots of wildness, This afternoon we go to another island for a particular bird found only there, the Snowy Cotinga. Tomorrow we do the first of three trips to the mainland for birds. The two families running the lodge are very accomodating of us and our needs/desires. Cabins are very nice and the food is very good. We are experiencing a Panama version of pura vida!
Bird shots not shown in other posts from recent trip.
Bare-throated Tiger Heron Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Scarlet Macaw Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Great Curassow Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Black-headed Trogon female Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Lineated Woodpecker Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Boat-billed Heron Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Yellow-crowned Night Heron juvenile (no crown yet) Mangrove Forest, Drake Bay, Costa Rica
Cherrie’s Tanager male Aguila de Osa Inn, Drake Bay, Costa Rica
Black Vultures waiting for fish above high tide rocks Aguila de Osa Inn, Drake Bay, Costa Rica
Bananaquit Drake Bay, Costa Rica
Bananaquit Drake Bay, Costa Rica
Great-tailed Grackle male Aguila de Osa Inn, Drake Bay, Costa Rica
We saw some other birds but no good photos because of distance, trees, etc. I did not get any photos of new species for my collection on this trip as hoped. We did see toucans, parrots and many other birds but unable to photograph. Tomorrow I will share photos of other animals seen at Corcovado & Drake Bay.
Lineated Woodpecker In my garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica I was thrilled that he was just 2 meters off my deck! AND in the open! (for less than a minute!) I have several shots of this species, but this is best! One at Rancho Naturalista was previous best. And I had a Fair Shot in Panama
Lineated Woodpecker In tree in my garden, Atenas, Costa Rica This “Peek-a-boo” sighting behind leaves is often all I get. Still makes me happy!
See my photo gallery of Birdsphotos made since I moved to Costa Rica. This gallery shows you my number one motivation for moving to and retiring in Costa Rica. I love the birds here!
Fiery-billed Aracari Toucan Campesinos Ecolodge, Quebrada Arroyo, Costa Rica
Yellow-throated Euphonia Campesinos Ecolodge, Quebrada Arroyo, Costa Rica
Violet-headed Hummingbird Campesinos Ecolodge, Quebrada Arroyo, Costa Rica
Lineated Woodpecker Campesinos Ecolodge, Quebrada Arroyo, Costa Rica
Orange-chinned Parakeets Campesinos Ecolodge, Quebrada Arroyo, Costa Rica
Cherrie’s Tanager male Campesinos Ecolodge, Quebrada Arroyo, Costa Rica NOTE: Passerini’s Tanager male looks the same but lives only on Caribbean side
Cherrie’s Tanager female Campesinos Ecolodge, Quebrada Arroyo, Costa Rica NOTE: Passerini’s Tanager female is obviously different.
Yellow-bellied Elaenia Campesinos Ecolodge, Quebrada Arroyo, Costa Rica
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher (in a room shower) Campesinos Ecolodge, Quebrada Arroyo, Costa Rica
Black-hooded Antshrike Campesinos Ecolodge, Quebrada Arroyo, Costa Rica
Social Flycatcher Campesinos Ecolodge, Quebrada Arroyo, Costa Rica
Beardless Tyrannulet Campesinos Ecolodge, Quebrada Arroyo, Costa Rica
We saw many more including a beautiful White Hawk, but these are only decent photos. Tomorrow I will share the birds I photographed at Carara National Park and Cerro Lodge, Tarcoles, Costa Rica on my way home for a one night stop.
This is just a sample of the birds I photographed at the lodge this morning before going out to a park! It will take a while to share all the birds I’m photographing here!
Montezuma Oropendola from the breakfast terrace
Lineated Woodpecker in front of lodge
White-necked Jacobin Hummingbird male at breakfast terrace
Gray-headed Chachalaca joining us for breakfast
Keel-billed Toucan seen from breakfast terrace
All of this and much, much more at Rancho Naturalista near Turrialba, Costa Rica.
