Hoffmann's Woodpecker

Hoffmann's Woodpecker

Melanerpes hoffmannii

Silhouette: Jason Dilworth · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
at Managua

In 3 days >90%

1,603 Verified sightings at Managua
18,321 In all 18 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Hoffmann's Woodpecker

Hoffmann's woodpecker (Melanerpes hoffmannii) is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found from Honduras south to Costa Rica. Hoffmann's woodpecker was originally described in genus Centurus. Some authors have treated it as a subspecies of the golden-fronted woodpecker (M. aurifrons), and the two hybridize in the north of Hoffmann's range. Hoffmann's also hybridizes with the red-crowned woodpecker (M. rubricapilus) in the south.

Hoffmann's woodpecker is monotypic. The species is named for the German naturalist Karl Hoffmann. Hoffmann's woodpecker is 18 to 21 cm (7.1 to 8.3 in) long and weighs 62 to 84 g (2.2 to 3.0 oz). The sexes' plumage is alike except for their head pattern. Adult males have a dull white forecrown and supercilium, a bright red crown, and a bright yellow or orange nape. Adult females have a dull white crown and a pale yellow nape. Both sexes' faces and the sides of their throat are drab yellowish gray. Their back and upper rump are barred black and white and the lower rump and uppertail coverts are unbarred white. Their flight feathers are black with white bars throughout... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:15

Costa Rica · 2017

© Albert Lastukhin · XC1094599 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Song0:06

Nicaragua · 2015

© Orlando Jarquín G. · XC278374 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Drumming0:09

Costa Rica · 2013

© Paul Driver · XC137710 · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Masaya Volcano National Park 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
~80%
2 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~60%
3 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~60%
4 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~60%
5 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~50%
6 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~50%
7 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~50%
8 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~50%
9 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
10 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
11 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
12 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
13 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
14 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
15 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
16 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
17 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
18 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 San José 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~70%
2 Managua 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
~70%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Hoffmann's Woodpecker in Managua?

Very likely

About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Hoffmann's Woodpecker sighting in Managua on a given day, based on 1,603 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 9th most-seen of the 132 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Hoffmann's Woodpecker in Managua?

September

In that month about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Hoffmann's Woodpecker in Managua on a given day, against about 60% in March–May and July, the lowest months. That is one of Managua's wettest months, with about 290 mm of rain against almost none in January.

What time of day is best to see a Hoffmann's Woodpecker?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Hoffmann's Woodpecker sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Managua the best place to see a Hoffmann's Woodpecker?

Among the best

Of the 2 cities where we can rate Hoffmann's Woodpecker sightings, Managua ranks 2nd at about 70%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in San José (Costa Rica, about 70%).

Where does the Hoffmann's Woodpecker sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Hoffmann's Woodpecker is recorded against all the birds logged in Managua (1,603 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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