Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Golden-fronted Woodpecker has edged down: down 22% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
About the Golden-fronted Woodpecker
The Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) is a North American member of the Woodpeckers (Picidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the forest birds.
- Size
- 6–19.5 in long (15–50 cm) — a chisel-billed climber (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Woodlands and forest edges, including wooded suburbs and parks.
- Diet
- Insects and spiders gleaned from foliage and bark, with seeds and berries in season.
- Range
- Recorded on 118 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 2 states, most concentrated in the Tamaulipan Brushlands.
- Family
- Picidae · Forest birds
Notable Golden-fronted Woodpecker Trends
No notable trend signals for Golden-fronted Woodpecker. See the full index history below.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Golden-fronted Woodpecker is projected to fall about 30% by 2029 — from 0.24 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.17 (95% range 0.03–0.31). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±26.5%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.17 | 0.03 | 0.32 |
| 2026 | 0.17 | 0.03 | 0.31 |
| 2027 | 0.17 | 0.03 | 0.31 |
| 2028 | 0.17 | 0.03 | 0.31 |
| 2029 | 0.17 | 0.03 | 0.31 |
Where the Golden-fronted Woodpecker Is Detected
BBS routes recording Golden-fronted Woodpecker, sized by most recent count.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Population Trend by State
| Oklahoma | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Texas | -38% | 1969 | 116 |
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Shortgrass Prairie | -45% | 1971 | 6 |
| Central Mixed Grass Prairie | +179% | 1969 | 24 |
| Edwards Plateau | +225% | 1969 | 16 |
| Oaks and Prairies | +837% | 1969 | 23 |
| Chihuahuan Desert | -1% | 1969 | 11 |
| Tamaulipan Brushlands | -50% | 1969 | 28 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | +550% | 1970 | 10 |
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it down about 22% since 1969.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.