Since 2004 · Licensed by the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT)

Cinnamon Woodpecker (Celeus loricatus)
Photo: Tristan Jobin, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist
Cinnamon Woodpecker

Family Picidae

Cinnamon Woodpecker

Celeus loricatus

In Spanish: Carpintero Canelo

  • Resident

A rufous canopy woodpecker of the Caribbean slope, heard before it is seen.

The Cinnamon Woodpecker (Carpintero Canelo) is a bright rufous woodpecker of the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica. It is listed as a resident on the AOCR list.

It keeps to the canopy of tall forest, so it is heard more often than seen. On a trip we build through the northern Caribbean lowlands, listening for its call is the way to begin.

How to find it

Listen first, then scan the upper levels of forest. It likes dense canopy, so patience and knowing its calls usually lead to a sighting. One tour group heard it often at La Selva without seeing it, then tracked down a calling bird on their last chance and had good scope views. Another group saw one on an exposed perch, lost it, stayed put and found it again.

How to recognise it

This is a smallish woodpecker, about 19 to 23 cm long, weighing roughly 74 to 83 g. The plumage is bright cinnamon rufous above with fine black bars. Below it is white with sharp black chevrons. It has a bushy rufous crest with black streaks on the crown. Males have a red moustache stripe, a red chin, throat and cheek stripe with black streaks, and a brighter yellow bill. Females have a plain rufous head with no red.

Behaviour and diet

It is usually solitary and usually found in the upper levels of forest. It forages on ants and termites, searching the trunks of trees such as Cecropia, and it nests in tree holes. It is described as generally uncommon but locally fairly common, and it is heard more often than seen.

Where it lives

In Costa Rica the species is found on the Caribbean slope. It occurs from sea level up to about 760 m (2,500 ft). It favours the canopy of tall forest and reaches higher into the foothills than the similar Chestnut-colored Woodpecker.

When to see it

The breeding season in Costa Rica runs from March to May.

Similar birds

Chestnut-colored Woodpecker overlaps in range, with a paler rufous crest and dark chestnut underparts with black chevrons, unlike the white underparts of the Cinnamon. The calls are quite different, and Chestnut-colored prefers secondary woodland and clearing edges.

Names and lore in Costa Rica

The Costa Rican Spanish name is Carpintero Canelo, the same as the AOCR name. The variant Carpinterito Canelo is also listed.

Status and conservation

The AOCR list marks it as a resident (R), and IUCN rates it Least Concern, though the population trend is decreasing.

Photography tips

Tour groups have had luck tracking a far-off calling bird to an exposed perch. If it leaves, stay put, as one bird returned to a different perch and gave great scope views.

How we know this 14 sources, each read on the date shown
  1. Cornell Birds of the World read 2026-11-04https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/cinwoo1/cur/introduction
  2. Wikipedia read 2026-11-04https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamon_woodpecker
  3. Wikiwand (Wikipedia text) read 2026-11-04https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Cinnamon_woodpecker
  4. Panama Birds & Wildlife Photos blog read 2026-11-04http://panama-wildlife.blogspot.com/2016/10/featured-species-cinnamon-woodpecker.html
  5. Tierra de tucanes y pájaros carpinteros read 2026-11-04https://tierradetucanesypajaroscarpinteros.blogspot.com/2012_02_05_archive.html
  6. IUCN Red List read 2026-11-04https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22681317/140990118
  7. 10,000 Birds read 2026-11-04https://www.10000birds.com/some-cool-woodpeckers-from-costa-rica.htm
  8. Birdingcraft read 2026-11-04https://birdingcraft.com/wordpress/2012/04/24/what-woodpeckers-are-you-going-to-see-when-birding-costa-rica/
  9. Field Guides Costa Rica 2018 trip list read 2026-11-04https://fieldguides.com/triplists/cos18.html
  10. Birdingcraft read 2026-11-04https://birdingcraft.com/wordpress/tag/woodpeckers/
  11. Ecoregistros read 2026-11-04https://www.ecoregistros.org/ficha/Celeus-loricatus
  12. Avibase read 2026-11-04https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?avibaseid=9556A2DBE64AA00F
  13. Tierra de tucanes y pájaros carpinteros read 2026-11-04https://tierradetucanesypajaroscarpinteros.blogspot.com/2012/02/carpintero-canelo-celeus-loricatus.html
  14. Birding Craft read 2026-11-04http://birdingcraft.com/wordpress/2013/12/13/the-best-places-to-see-woodpeckers-in-costa-rica/