Golden-tailed woodpecker
| Golden-tailed woodpecker | ||||||||||
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Golden-tailed woodpecker ( Campethera abingoni ) |
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| Campethera abingoni | ||||||||||
| ( A.Smith , 1836) |
The golden-tailed woodpecker ( Campethera abingoni ) is a species of woodpecker from the genus of the spotted woodpecker ( Campethera ). The almost variegated woodpecker- sized bird occurs in a large area of central and southern Africa, where it is one of the most common woodpecker species in the region, but often remains undiscovered due to its rather hidden way of life. 6 subspecies are currently recognized. With the closely related species Knysnaspecht and Mombasaspecht , which some authors also regard as subspecies of the golden-tailed woodpecker, it forms a superspecies . According to the IUCN , the species is currently not endangered.
Appearance
There are quite significant differences in size and weight between the subspecies. The size varies between 20 and 23 centimeters, the weight is between 55 grams on average for the smallest, mainly north-equatorial subspecies C. a. chrysura and up to 80 grams in the nominate form .
The entire upper side is banded and partially spotted on a green-yellowish, olive-green to greenish-brown ground with different intensities of yellowish-white. This banding becomes more intense and wider towards the tail covers. The elytra are yellowish spotted or dotted with the same basic color. The wings are brownish; their yellowish banding tapers from the inside out. The greenish-brown tail is banded yellowish several times, the shafts of the two elongated central feathers are often bright yellow. The entire underside is clearly dashed black on a dirty white background, with more black spots towards the belly and rump. Breast and flanks can be slightly yellowish. The color of the underside of the wing corresponds to that of the upper side, but is significantly paler, so that the banding is less contrasting. The banding is also barely visible on the underside of the yellowish-brown tail. The head of adult males is particularly noticeable by a relatively broad, almost scarlet head plate. This drawing extends from the forehead to the nape of the neck. The bases of the forehead feathers are blackish, so that this area can appear reddish-black spotted. The male's short streak is similarly colored . In the adult female, red head markings are limited to the back of the head. The forehead and part of the head are dotted and dashed in white on a black background. The malar streak is indicated in the female blackish. Other sexual dimorphisms are also not developed with regard to height and weight. The eyes in adult individuals are reddish, sometimes hazel-colored. In the nominate form, a pure white stripe above the eyes is clearly pronounced. The cheeks are initially fine on a whitish background, more clearly dashed black towards the neck. The pointed beak is slate gray, the base of the lower mandible sometimes greenish. The four-toed feet are greenish gray.
Young birds of both sexes resemble colored females, but have more indistinct yellow markings. They are spotted and spotted rather than banded. As with the females, their foreheads are black and white, as is the streak of beard.
distribution and habitat
The main distribution area of the species is in southern Africa and extends largely from the south and south-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the north-west and southwestern Kenya southwards to around the tropic . The lowland basin of the Congo and the Namib region of South West Africa are not populated in this area . The northernmost contiguous distribution areas are northwest of Lake Victoria , the southernmost in Natal , where the distribution area of this species touches that of the Knysnaspechten. Isolated occurrences have been reported from Gambia , Ghana , areas around the upper reaches of the Mara and southern Sudan . It is so far unclear whether the lack of the species in the areas in between is due to observation gaps. Another isolated occurrence is located north of the central reaches of the Orange River .
In this very large and climatically diverse distribution area, the golden-tailed woodpecker lives in almost all types of forest. It prefers transition zones and forest areas alongside rivers, but apparently also needs thickets and other very dense vegetation. It penetrates into the tree savannahs of the Miombo type, but seems to avoid the mountain acacia populations ( Brachystegia sp.) Preferred by the Bennett woodpecker . In addition, golden-tailed woodpeckers are breeding birds in evergreen coastal forests and montane forest areas. Occasionally it also appears in parks and larger gardens.
The vertical distribution extends from sea level to 1400 meters in Natal and to 2200 meters in Malawi . For the size of the woodpecker, the breeding territories seem to be quite large at 10–15 hectares.
Food and subsistence
Golden-tailed woodpeckers feed themselves and their young mainly with tree-dwelling ants and their developmental stages. In addition, many other insect species and their larvae are preyed on, and bipedes are also part of the food spectrum. Quantitative analyzes of the food composition are not available.
In search of food, the species often visits individual trees, where it searches the trunk regions and branches, loosens pieces of bark, but occasionally exposes the food channels of wood-boring insects by powerful hammering. Golden-tailed woodpeckers can often be seen foraging on the underside of branches. They are not infrequently associated with cardinal woodpeckers.
Breeding biology
As far as is known, the breeding season extends from August to December. Both sexes grow in relatively low trunk areas, sometimes a nesting hole on the underside of strong branches. The clutch consists of 2–3 (5) eggs, which are incubated by both parents for about 13 days. As with almost all real woodpeckers, the male always breeds at night. The nestlings are provided with strangled insect food from both parents; they fly out after about 22-25 days. Information on leadership time and dismigration are not available.
Systematics
The golden-tailed woodpecker is a member of the spotted woodpecker ( Campethera ), whose 12 representatives occur in Africa, mainly south of the equator. According to Winkler et al. it forms a super species with the very similar Knysnaspecht ( Campethera notata ) and the Mombasaspecht ( Campethera mombassica ). Some authors consider both of these species to be subspecies of the golden-tailed woodpecker.
Winkler et al. distinguish 6 subspecies, which differ mainly in size and weight, as well as - relatively marginally - in the plumage drawing and coloration. In addition, the individual variation is relatively large.
- C. a. abingoni ( A.Smith , 1836 ): The nominate form inhabits the north-eastern and central-western area of the closed distribution area. Only C. a. chrysura occurs even further north. It is the largest and heaviest subspecies. The clear white stripe above the eyes is particularly characteristic of this subspecies.
- C. a. anderssoni ( Roberts , 1936 ): Its distribution area connects to the south of that of the nominate form, which it largely resembles in size and mass. It inhabits largely dry areas and is somewhat paler in color than C. a. abingoni . The top is gray-green, the neck area can be almost black.
- C. a. chrysura ( Swainson , 1837) : The smallest and lightest subspecies inhabits in possibly fragmented areas the northernmost areas of the distribution area, largely north of the equator. Your ear covers are clearly lined with black rays, throat and chest are darker than in the nominate shape.
- C. a. kavirondensis Someren 1926 : is very similar to the aforementioned subspecies. Their distribution area closes east to that of C. a. chrysura and extends to northern Tanzania .
- C. a. suahelica ( Reichenow , 1902) : The distribution area of this subspecies connects to the south. It extends to northern South Africa. C. a. Of all the subspecies, suahelica has the most yellow- greenish appearance , a white stripe above the eyes is not developed.
- C. a. constricta Clancey , 1965 : This southeasternmost subspecies is very similar to the previous one; in her, however, the green tones predominate.
Endangerment and existence
The species is not considered to be endangered, but no inventory information is available either for the total population or for individual subspecies. The total distribution area is estimated at around 4 million square kilometers.
literature
- Hans Winkler , David A. 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. 72-73 and 230-231.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Winkler et al. (1995) p. 231
- ↑ Winkler et al. (1995) p. 230
- ↑ Winkler et al. (1995) p. 230
- ↑ Winkler et al. (1995) pp. 230 and 231
- ↑ Winkler et al. (1995) p. 231
- ↑ Birdlife international pdf engl.
Web link
- Campethera abingoni inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2014.