Celebes woodpecker

Celebes woodpecker
	Celebes woodpecker (male)
Systematics
Order :	Woodpecker birds (Piciformes)
Family :	Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Subfamily :	Real woodpeckers (Picinae)
Genre :	Mulleripicus
Type :	Celebes woodpecker
Scientific name
	Mulleripicus fulvus
	( Quoy & Gaimard , 1830)

The Celebesspecht ( mulleripicus fulvus ) is a species of bird from the family of woodpeckers (Picidae). This large species of woodpecker is endemic to Indonesia and occurs there on Sulawesi and a number of offshore islands. It is tied to closed and dense tropical forests. As far as is known, the diet consists of termites and caterpillars. The species is not considered rare, the population is apparently stable. The IUCN therefore classifies the Celebes Woodpecker as (= least concern - not endangered).

description

Celebes woodpeckers are large and generally quite dark and not very contrasting colored woodpeckers with a remarkably long and thin neck, a rather small head and a long and stiff tail that is slightly bent forward towards the tip. The beak is long, slightly chisel-shaped and pointed and narrow at the base. The nostrils are feathered. The ridge of the beak is bent downwards. The body length is about 40 cm, the size is between the green woodpecker and black woodpecker . There is no information on weight.

The species shows a clear sexual dimorphism in terms of coloration . In males of the nominate form , the entire upper side, including the upper wings and the upper side of the tail, is dark gray-brown to slate black; the upper tail-coverts are somewhat lighter, the upper wings somewhat darker than the rest of the upper surface. The underside of the trunk is intensely beige-brown to creamy yellowish brown from the throat, more gray on the chest and often slightly washed out yellowish gray on the flanks. The lower wings are pale brown-gray to rather dark gray, the under-tail is yellowish, washed-out, pale brown to gray.

The base of the beak, the forehead, the beard, the front and middle skull and the sides of the face are usually dark red towards the back, up to the front edge of the ear covers, but the extent of the red color on the top of the head and the sides of the face is variable. The back of the head and neck are finely dotted with whitish dots on a dark gray background, the chin, throat and front neck on a light gray beige background.

The beak is black, legs and toes are greenish gray and sometimes have a bluish tone. The iris is pale yellow, the eye ring gray.

Females are missing the red areas on the head, these areas are dark gray and except for the forehead also finely dotted with light.

Vocalizations

The species does not call very loudly and the calls often sound muffled. Described is a laughing, quick series of calls like "hiuh-hiuh-hiuh-hiuh-hiuh-hiuh-hiuh" . Celebes woodpeckers drum very intensely during the breeding season.

distribution and habitat

This species of woodpecker is endemic to Indonesia and occurs there on Sulawesi and a number of offshore islands and archipelagos. The distribution on Sulawesi is patchy, the size of the total distribution area is not known. The species is tied to closed and dense tropical forests and is rarely seen near human settlements. The altitude distribution on Sulawesi extends from the lowlands to 2200 m.

Two male Celebes woodpeckers of the nominate form in the Tangkoko Duasaudara protected area in northeast Sulawesi

Systematics

Two subspecies are recognized:

Mulleripicus fulvus fulvus ( Quoy & Gaimard , 1830) ; northern part of Sulawesi.
Mulleripicus fulvus wallacei Tweeddale 1877 ; South part of Sulawesi. Slightly more long-winged and long-tailed than the nominate form with a shorter beak, overall slightly lighter, but tail more black. The red color of the head of the male is brighter and usually more extensive towards the rear, it extends to the upper neck and to the rear ear covers.

Way of life

There is hardly any information on the way of life so far. The species is apparently largely tied to trees and looks for food primarily on dead wood, but possibly at least occasionally on the ground. As far as is known, the diet consists of termites and caterpillars.

Celebes woodpeckers are found in pairs or family groups of up to five individuals. Drum activities and examined dead finds suggest a breeding season between March and August. The caves are created in dead trees, the clutch consists of two to three eggs. Further information on the breeding biology is not yet available.

Existence and endangerment

There is no information on the population size, but the species is considered not rare and the population is apparently stable. The IUCN therefore classifies the Celebes Woodpecker as harmless (“least concern”).

swell

Individual evidence

↑ BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Mulleripicus fulvus . ( Online , accessed September 10, 2010)
↑ Hans Winkler, David Christie and David Nurney: Woodpeckers. A Guide to the Woodpeckers, Piculets, and Wrynecks of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge 1995: p. 391

literature

Hans Winkler , David Christie and David Nurney: Woodpeckers. A Guide to the Woodpeckers, Piculets, and Wrynecks of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge 1995, ISBN 0-395-72043-5 , pp. 164-165 and 391.

Web links

Mulleripicus fulvus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2009. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2009. Retrieved on 10 September, 2010.