Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay (B).
Lower Amazon (west to R Madeira), and from extreme south-eastern Peru (Pampas del Heath), southern Mato Grosso and north-eastern Brazil (northern Maranhío) south to eastern Bolivia, northern Argentina (south to Córdoba, northern Buenos Aires) and western and southern Uruguay.
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
White Woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus) [XC211155]
by Jerome Fischer from Gar\u00e7a, S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil (call)
White Woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus) [XC452343]
by Rosendo Manuel Fraga from Isla Apip\u00e9 Grande, Corrientes, Argentina, -27.29, -56.56, Argentina (call)
Subspecies
Distinctive. Sometimes placed in monotypic genus Leuconerpes, but shows many morphological similarities to typical Melanerpes.