Abstract
Despite the predominant insectivorous habits of woodpeckers, the Yellow-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes flavifrons) stands out for its primarily frugivorous diet. In this study, we report two observations made in the Atlantic Forest of Goiás regarding nectar consumption by M. flavifrons. These are the first documented records of this habit in Brazil for the flowers of Inga ingoides and Combretum fruticosum. This behavior suggests that pollination might be involved in the process and there is possibly a greater demand for nectar by birds in the interior of the country during the driest period of the year.
Highlights
Despite the predominant insectivorous habits of woodpeckers, the Yellow-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes flavifrons) stands out for its primarily frugivorous diet
They are mostly recognized by their insectivorous habits, some are fond of fruits (WINKLER et al, 1995; WINKLER; CHRISTIE, 2002; ROCCA et al, 2006)
It is endemic to the Atlantic Forest (VALE et al, 2018) and occurs from southern Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul, as well as in Paraguay, Argentina, and locally in central Brazil (SICK, 1997; WINKLER et al, 2020)
Summary
Despite the predominant insectivorous habits of woodpeckers, the Yellow-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes flavifrons) stands out for its primarily frugivorous diet. The Yellow-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes flavifrons) is one of the most attractive, colorful, and strepitous representatives of the family and exhibits noteworthy social habits (SICK, 1997; SIGRIST, 2014; WINKLER et al, 2020). Despite copious previous records of vegetable matter in the diet of this species, apparently M. flavifrons has still not been documented feeding on nectar of native flowers; there are a few comments of nectar ingestion in the literature (e.g., SICK, 1997; PARRINI, 2015).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
