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) [XC54210]
by Joao Menezes from El Relincho, Ecilda Paulier, San Jose, Uruguay (song)
White Woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus) [XC699637]
by Guillermo Treboux from Taquaral de Goi\u00e1s, Taquaral de Goi\u00e1s, Goi\u00e1s, Brazil (alarm call, song)
Subspecies
Distinctive. Sometimes placed in monotypic genus Leuconerpes, but shows many morphological similarities to typical Melanerpes.