Celeus galeatus
Silhouette: Pepe Reigada · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The helmeted woodpecker (Celeus galeatus) is a Vulnerable species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Coenraad Jacob Temminck described the helmeted woodpecker in 1822. It was reclassified in genus Hylatomus and several others at various times. Upon sequencing the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, two studies published in 2015 found that it belonged in its current genus Celeus. Its specific epithet is from the Latin word galea, meaning "helmet". The placement of the helmeted woodpecker in genus Celeus is generally accepted.
The helmeted woodpecker is monotypic. The helmeted woodpecker is about 25 cm (9.8 in) long with a 31.5 to 35 mm (1.2 to 1.4 in) bill, and weighs about 124 to 150 g (4.4 to 5.3 oz). Both sexes have a cinnamon face with a long red crest. The sexes differ only on their heads: Adult males have a red malar patch that extends down to the sides of the throat and around the back of the head to meet the crest. Females have the red crest but no other red on their head. Both sexes have a black throat and hindneck with a vertical white stripe between them... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iguaçu National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Helmeted Woodpecker sighting in Iguazú National Park on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 314th most-seen of the 343 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Helmeted Woodpecker in Iguazú National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Helmeted 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.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Helmeted Woodpecker sightings, Iguazú National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Iguaçu National Park (Brazil, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Helmeted Woodpecker is recorded against all the birds logged in Iguazú National Park (12 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
