Andean Flicker

Description:

Saw this woodpecker while hiking to some of the Incan ruins around Cusco in Peru, at about 3700m above sea level. About 35-40cm from tip of the beak to the tip of the tail; dark cap with red nape (pic #4), light, yellowish body with dark mottled wings, and one dark band (pic #2) on each side of the head, following the line of the beak below the eye to the neck. As seen in the pictures, this doesn't seem to be typical wood pecker habitat, being treeless, with only low shrubs and grasses. Apparently, the Andean Flicker feeds on the ground and nests in cliffs or banks, as opposed to the more common cavity in a tree. Furthermore, it's known to nest in colonies.

Habitat:

Andes at altitudes between 2000 - 5000m, from Peru through Bolivia, to Chile and Argentina.