This species is a very noisy and gregarious bird typical of the Andes that is strongly associated with oak forests (Quercus). Its name Melenerpes means black woodpecker and derives from the Greek roots melas = black and herpes = climber. The epithet formicivorus means that it eats ants and derives from the Latin roots formica = ant and vorus = that eats or devours.
The Spot-breasted Woodpecker is a species of bird in the Picidae family.
Colaptes punctigula: Its name comes from the Greek kolaptes which means chiseller, and punctigula, which comes from the Latinpunctum which means patch and gluttony which means throat. The latter refers to the color pattern of the throat and lower parts of the bird.
It measures 8 to 10 cm and weighs 12 to 13 g. It has a short black bill with a curved top, brown irises and gray-blue orbital skin. The male is black from the forehead to the nape with yellow dots on the crown and white behind. It has a white loreal region, chestnut brown ear coverts sometimes streaked with white, a grayish-brown neck, grayish-brown occiput and olive-stained upper parts. Its coverts have yellowish-green margins, the upper surface of its tail is dark brown and in the central pair of feathers it has striations on the internal margins. Malar region, cheeks, chin and throat whitish with black dots. The rest of its lower parts are whitish at times with very fine greyish striations. The female is distinguished because she has white dots on the head. Young people are more opaque and darker than adults.
They have a white line, which starts from the bill and extends below the eye and down the side of the neck. Black and white striped throat, black chest and black and suede barred abdomen. The females, these plumage features are black. The bill is typically black in both sexes, though pale-billed individuals regularly are seen.
