---
title: "Acorn Woodpecker"
description: "Melanerpes formicivorus — Birds. The acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) is a medium-sized woodpecker with a length of around 20 cm (8 in), and an average weight of 85 g (3.0 oz)."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/acorn-woodpecker
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Acorn Woodpecker

> Melanerpes formicivorus — Birds. The acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) is a medium-sized woodpecker with a length of around 20 cm (8 in), and an average weight of 85 g (3.0 oz).

- Scientific name: *Melanerpes formicivorus*
- Category: `birds` (Birds)
- Habitats: `forest` (Forest)
- iNaturalist observations: 69397
- Wikidata: [Q368657](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q368657)
- iNaturalist taxon: [18209](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/18209)

## Names

- en: Acorn Woodpecker
- de: Eichelspecht
- es: Carpintero bellotero
- fr: Pic glandivore
- nl: Eikelspecht
- pt: Pica-pau-das-bolotas
- pl: Dzięciur żołędziowy

## Countries with the most observations

US (54636), MX (8244), CO (1811), CR (1002), HN (335), GT (307), BZ (190), PA (136), NI (63), CA (41), SV (26)

## Summary

The acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) is a medium-sized woodpecker with a length of around 20 cm (8 in), and an average weight of 85 g (3.0 oz). It is found across Central America, as well as North into the western United States and South into parts of Colombia.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_woodpecker

## Photo

![Acorn Woodpecker](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/acorn-woodpecker/medium.jpg)

Photo: Irene · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/190542251

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/acorn-woodpecker?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).