Green-banded woodpecker

Green-banded woodpecker
	Green-banded woodpecker ( Colaptes m. Melanochloros ), female
Systematics
Class :	Birds (aves)
Order :	Woodpecker birds (Piciformes)
Family :	Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Subfamily :	Real woodpeckers (Picinae)
Genre :	Gold woodpeckers ( Colaptes )
Type :	Green-banded woodpecker
Scientific name
	Colaptes melanochloros
	( Gmelin , 1788)

The green-barred woodpecker ( Colaptes melanochloros ) is a species of bird from the family of woodpeckers (Picidae). This small to medium-sized woodpecker colonizes large parts of eastern and central South America . The species inhabits a wide range of tree-covered habitats from subtropical moist forests to savannahs to dry bushland. The food sought in the lower and middle tree layers as well as in low bushes and on the ground consists primarily of ants and their larvae and pupae, but green-banded woodpeckers also eat berries and cactus fruits.

The species is believed to be quite common and the world population is believed to be stable. The green-barred woodpecker is on the IUCN classified as uncritical ( "least concern") due to the size of the range and probably stable population.

description

Green-banded woodpeckers are quite variable in size and color, small to medium-sized woodpeckers. The beak is quite long, pointed to a point, curved downwards at the ridge and relatively narrow at the base. The body length is about 27–30 cm, the weight 104–178 g. This makes these woodpeckers about as big and heavy as a gray woodpecker . The species shows a little clear sexual dimorphism in terms of coloration .

In males of the nominate form C. m. melanochloros is almost the entire upper surface including the neck, shoulder feathers, upper wing-coverts and umbrella feathers banded with dark brown on a yellowish green background. The rump has a lighter basic color and is less banded, the upper tail covers are beige and have black bands and tips. The wings are greenish brown with lighter, narrow banding, the quills are olive. The top-side black control springs show light-colored bands on at least the outermost control spring pair.

The sides of the neck and the underside of the trunk are pale green, the chest is usually a little darker and more bright green. For this reason, the underside is heavily spotted with black; towards the flanks this dark speckle often tends to be banded, but towards the belly it becomes weaker or absent. The lower wings are yellowish white, the coverts occasionally show a spot for this reason. The lower tail is black with yellowish banding.

The forehead and the front of the head are black, the back of the head and the back of the head are red. The rein region, the area around the eyes, cheeks and ear covers are whitish, while the ear covers show a strong olive tone. The beard stripe is red with black feather bases. The chin and throat are whitish green with black dashes.

The beak is black. Legs and toes are gray, usually with a greenish or yellowish tone. The iris is brown or maroon.

Females are relatively long-tailed than males. The back of the head and the back of the head are also red, but the beard is black with white dashes.

Green-banded woodpecker ( Colaptes m. Melanochloros ), male

Vocalizations

The best known call is a stringed "kwiek-kwik-kwik". The alarm call is a loose series of "peek" sounds. Furthermore, long series of calls are known that are very similar to those of the North and Central American gold woodpecker ( Colaptes auratus ). Both sexes drum, the drum rolls are slower than those of the golden woodpecker.

distribution and habitat

This woodpecker inhabits large parts of eastern and central South America . The area extends north-south from northeast Brazil to northern Patagonia , in the east from the island of Marajó to Rio Grande do Sul . It also includes Uruguay and Argentina south to Buenos Aires and the Rio Negro and from there to the west to Mato Grosso , Bolivia and to the Argentine Andes in the provinces of La Pampa and Neuquén . The size of the total distribution area is estimated at 7.05 million km².

The species inhabits a wide range of tree-covered habitats from subtropical moist forests to savannahs to dry bushland. Green-banded woodpeckers occur at heights of almost 0 to 3000 m.

Systematics

Winkler et al. recognize five subspecies in two also ecologically differentiated subspecies groups:

1. The arboreal melanochloros group lives in forests and savannas. The two subspecies of the group show more green on the lower and upper side, the ear covers are darker and orange or yellow tones are missing on the chest.

Colaptes m. melanochloros ( Gmelin , 1788) - southeast and southern Brazil, southeast Paraguay and Misiones province in Argentina. The nominate form is described above.
Colaptes m. nattereri ( Malherbe , 1845) - north, northeast, mid-south and mid-west of Brazil, Santa Cruz Department in Bolivia. Similar to nominate shape, but smaller, with a shorter beak and more yellow. The spots on the chest and stomach are often very small or line-shaped. Forms mixed forms with the nominate subspecies in a wide area of the area.

2. The melanolaimus group, which is partially living on the ground, inhabits the pampas , bushland and the Chaco . The three subspecies of the group show more brown and less green on the top and bottom, the rump and the ear-covers are white, the quills of the wings are yellow on top, the chest has a gold tone and the black lines tend to interlock on the lower sides of the throat to pass over.

Colaptes m. melanolaimus ( Malherbe , 1857) - highland valleys of Bolivia. Long-beaked, overall quite green with a gold tone on the chest, black throat marks often combined to form a black spot on the sides of the throat and the rear beard, rump with reduced spots, control feathers less strongly banded.
Colaptes m. nigroviridis ( Grant , 1911) - Northern Argentina, Southern Bolivia, and Western Paraguay. Similar to the previous subspecies, but tends to be more green on the upper side, less gold on the chest and less black on the sides of the throat, larger underside spots and strongly banded tail.
Colaptes m. leucofrenatus Leybold , 1873 - Central Argentina, South Brazil. Inhabits riverside forests and isolated woodland in the pampas and in dry scrubland inland to the south to Patagonia. Large subspecies, upper side brown, sometimes even golden brown, white rump and whitish bands and feather tips, chest golden to orange, flanks strongly banded and the remaining underside with large spots or arrowhead-shaped markings.

Way of life

Green-banded woodpeckers are usually observed individually, occasionally in pairs. Individual green-banded woodpeckers often join troops of the larger and more attentive field woodpecker ( Colaptes campestris ) to search for ants on the ground . The food sought in the lower and middle tree layers as well as in low bushes and on the ground consists primarily of ants and their larvae and pupae; ants of the genera Camponotus , Crematogaster and Paracryptocerus have been identified as food . Green-banded woodpeckers also eat berries and cactus fruits. They obtain food objects on trees mainly by poking and reading. Ant nests are opened with a short chop and the ants are then often caught with the tongue over a longer period of time.

In the treetops these woodpeckers move around like a jay , hopping for food they also hang from the underside of branches. On the floor, the movement takes place in long jumps or short hops.

In the south of the distribution area, reproduction takes place from August and September to January, in the north earlier. The breeding caves are created in dead trees or tree stumps, palm trees, large cacti and telegraph poles at heights between 2 and 6 m. The clutch comprises four eggs, both partners incubate and feed the nestlings with food that has been choked out.

Existence and endangerment

Estimates of the size of the world population are not yet available. The species is believed to be quite common and the world population is believed to be stable. The green-barred woodpecker is on the IUCN classified as uncritical ( "least concern") due to the size of the range and probably stable population.

swell

Individual evidence

↑ The green-banded woodpecker at BirdLife International . Retrieved January 7, 2013.
↑ Hans Winkler, David A. Christie and David Nurney: Woodpeckers. A Guide to the Woodpeckers, Piculets, and Wrynecks of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge 1995: p. 318

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. 120-121 and 318-319.

Web links

Colaptes melanochloros in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2012. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved on February 1, 2013.