By Eliana Patt

If you were out south of town in the early morning, and you were to listen closely, you might just be able to hear it. The sound is soft and distant. You could perhaps strain for a better angle, so that you might-

A series of loud rattling cries might pierce the morning quiet, sending you snapping back to a standing position with a startled laugh.

Golden-Fronted Woodpeckers can be called many things, but quiet is far from one of them. A member of the genus Melanerpes, which contains species like the familiar Red-Bellied and the metallic green- and soon to be renamed- Lewis’s Woodpeckers, the Golden-Fronted Woodpecker ranges from as far south as Nicaragua to all the way up north with us in Texas, and occasionally Oklahoma.

While this photo of a male of the species was taken in Starr, Golden-Fronted Woodpeckers are an expected species here in Travis County. Like many woodpecker species, they’re fond of peanut butter and bark butter feeders!). Photo by Eliana Patt.

If an intrepid crew of birders were to drive further south through the state, these woodpeckers can also be found in cities like San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Brownsville, where they’re present in immense numbers, and are- generally speaking- the only member of their genus seen there at all. Here in Travis County, however- where Golden-Fronted and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers overlap in range- it can be difficult to distinguish the two at a quick glance, especially if the head is partially or wholly obscured.

While a lack of the characteristic red cap of the Red-Bellied Woodpecker does not a Golden-Fronted make (after all, if we all know anything, it’s that juvenile birds live to be confusing- just look at gulls!), one of the key distinguishing features between the two lies in the latter’s name. Golden-Fronted Woodpeckers are named for their yellow forehead (and their yellow nape). While the yellow forehead is less prominent in females, their yellow nape remains consistent between the sexes, and should remain visible even when the bird is furiously drumming, hiding their forehead from sight.

Like most woodpeckers, Golden-Fronted Woodpeckers excavate tree cavities in which to nest. Old-growth mesquite remains their preferred habitat, but these woodpeckers remain adaptable, expanding their range significantly in recent years despite the contraction of their favored mesquites. This is good news for a number of other species that nest in cavities, ranging from invasive starlings to screech-owls and beyond.

To see this lovely Southwestern counterpart to our friendly neighborhood Red-Bellied Woodpecker in-county, you’ll need to head, expectedly, south and west of town- after all, Austin is on the eastern edge of the species’ range. Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park- known to many here as simply Commons Ford- is often one of the best locations for the species, though they’ve been spotted in a number of locations scattered across the southwestern corner of the county. For other parks, pay special attention to any bird feeders that might showcase classic woodpecker favorites, such as bark butter or suet blocks.

Of course, as it is with a number of species, some of the best advice will always be to keep your ears open.

Featured photo by Eliana Patt

Sources Used:
The Texas Breeding Bird Atlas | Golden-Fronted Woodpecker
Cornell Lab’s All About Birds | Golden-Fronted Woodpecker