Gray-fronted woodpecker

Gray-fronted woodpecker
	Gray-fronted Woodpecker ( Colaptes atricollis ), male
Systematics
Class :	Birds (aves)
Order :	Woodpecker birds (Piciformes)
Family :	Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Subfamily :	Real woodpeckers (Picinae)
Genre :	Gold woodpeckers ( Colaptes )
Type :	Gray-fronted woodpecker
Scientific name
	Colaptes atricollis
	( Malherbe , 1850)

The gray-fronted Woodpecker ( Colaptes atricollis ) is a species of bird from the family of woodpeckers (Picidae). This rather small woodpecker is endemic to Peru and has a small distribution area in the Andes . The species lives in open, dry to semi-arid areas and occurs in dry cloud forest, scrubland with large cacti , desert shrubbery and tree-lined areas, as well as on river banks, and cultivated land is also populated. The food that is sought primarily on trees, but also near or on the ground, consists of ants and their larvae and pupae.

The species is thought to be rare, but the world population is believed to be stable. The gray-fronted woodpecker is classified by the IUCN as "least concern" due to the size of the distribution area (> 20,000 km²) and the presumably stable population.

description

Gray-fronted woodpeckers are quite small woodpeckers with a long tail. The beak is of medium length, pointed at a point, curved downwards at the ridge and relatively narrow at the base. The body length is about 25 cm, the weight 73–90 g. These woodpeckers are slightly larger than a great spotted woodpecker , but just as heavy as this one. The species shows a clear sexual dimorphism in terms of coloration .

In males of the nominate form C. a. atricollis is almost the entire upper side including the neck, shoulder feathers, upper wing-coverts and umbrella feathers banded narrowly black on a bronze-green background. The rump and upper tail-coverts have a lighter base color and lighter bandages. The wings are dark brown with yellowish banding, the olive-yellow quills often form a lighter field. The control springs are dark brown on the top, the middle control spring pair and the outer flags of the outermost control spring pair are lightly banded.

The upper chest is black, the rest of the underside of the trunk is pale yellow. For this reason, the lower breast is broadly banded with black, towards the flanks and on the belly and lower tail-coverts it is banded in black as arrowheads. The lower wings are yellow, the coverts are banded darker. The under tail is brown, more yellow towards the base and shows whitish yellow banding.

The forehead and skull are dark gray with red feather tips on the forehead and on the top of the head, sometimes the entire crown of the head also shows red feather tips. The back of the head and the upper neck are red. The rein region and a line above the eyes are yellowish white. The ear covers are similarly colored, but a little darker with a beige-olive tone. The beard stripe is red with black feather bases. The chin and throat are also black in continuation of the black chest, the sides of the neck are more olive gray with black banding.

The beak is black, lighter at the base. Legs and toes are greenish gray. The iris is brown or maroon.

In females, the red area is limited to the back of the head and the upper neck, the front upper head and the beard are black.

Vocalizations

The alarm call is a short and repeated “peah” or “chypp” . Furthermore, a loud, clear and ordered "wicwicwicwic ...." was described. It is apparently not yet known whether the species drums.

distribution and habitat

This woodpecker is endemic to Peru and has a small distribution area in the Andes . The area comprises the eastern slopes of the Andes in the province of Piura ( Marañóntal ), in the regions of La Libertad , Ancash and in the northwest of Huánuco as well as the western slopes of the Andes from the regions of La Libertad and Ancash to the south to the west of Arequipa . The size of the total distribution area is estimated at 155,000 km².

The species lives in open, dry to semi-arid areas and occurs in dry cloud forest, scrubland with large cacti , desert shrubbery and tree-lined areas, as well as on river banks; cultural landscapes such as irrigation areas, orchards, tree plantations and gardens are also populated. Gray-fronted woodpeckers occur on the west side of the Andes at altitudes of 500 to 2800 m, rarely up to 4000 m, on the east side of the Andes in the area of the Marañóntal at altitudes of 1700 to 4300 m.

Systematics

Winkler et al. recognize two well-differentiated subspecies:

Colaptes a. atricollis ( Malherbe , 1850) - western slopes of the Andes. The nominate form is described above.
Colaptes a. peruvianus ( Reichenbach , 1854) - area of the Marañóntal . Smaller and more short-beaked than the nominate shape, the upper side is brownish, without an olive shade on the quills, the upper wing-coverts with broad yellowish white tips and edges, the lower side lighter and less banded.

Way of life

Little information is available on the way of life of the species. The food that is sought primarily on trees, but also near or on the ground, consists of ants and their larvae and pupae. Food items are obtained by reading, poking and occasionally chopping. The reproduction takes place probably in June and July, in the area of the Marañóntal probably also in September. The sleeping and breeding caves are created in trees and telegraph poles, by Colaptes a. peruvianus also in large cacti. Further information on the breeding biology is not yet available.

Existence and endangerment

Estimates of the size of the world population are not yet available. The species is thought to be rare, but the world population is believed to be stable. The gray-fronted woodpecker is classified by the IUCN as "least concern" due to the size of the distribution area (> 20,000 km²) and the presumably stable population.

swell

Individual evidence

^ The gray-fronted woodpecker at BirdLife International . Retrieved January 4, 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. 316

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 316-317.

Web links

Colaptes atricollis in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2012. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2012. Accessed January 4, 2013.