Red-stained Woodpecker (Veniliornis affinis) [XC511484]
by Dante Buzzetti from Esta\u00e7\u00e3o Ecol\u00f3gica de Murici, Murici, Alagoas, Brazil (song)
Red-stained Woodpecker (Veniliornis affinis) [XC318765]
by Caio Brito from Quebrada Mishquiyacu, Moyobamba, San Martin, Peru (call, drumming)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Choco Woodpecker (Veniliornis chocoensis), Golden-collared Woodpecker (Veniliornis cassini), Red-rumped Woodpecker (Veniliornis kirkii) and Yellow-eared Woodpecker (Veniliornis maculifrons). Has often been treated as conspecific with Choco Woodpecker (Veniliornis chocoensis), but differences exist in plumage, habitat choice and, reputedly, vocalizations. Sometimes believed to be conspecific with Golden-collared Woodpecker (Veniliornis cassini) but study needed of circumstances in apparent small range of overlap. Subspecies intergrade to large extent. Specimen from eastern Colombia described as a separate subspecies, "caquetanus", but considered to represent subadult of orenocensis.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
orenocensis von Berlepsch & Hartert, 1902 - South-eastern Colombia, southern Venezuela and northern Brazil.
hilaris (Cabanis & Heine, 1863) - Eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru and western Brazil south to northern Bolivia and western Mato Grosso.
ruficeps (von Spix, 1824) - Central and north-eastern Brazil south to Mato Grosso.
affinis (Swainson, 1821) - Eastern Brazil (Alagoas and eastern Bahia).