Reinwardtspecht

Reinwardtspecht
	Reinwardtspecht
Systematics
Order :	Woodpecker birds (Piciformes)
Family :	Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Subfamily :	Real woodpeckers (Picinae)
Genre :	Reinwardtipicus
Type :	Reinwardtspecht
Scientific name of the genus
	Reinwardtipicus
	Bonaparte , 1854
Scientific name of the species
	Reinward tipicus validus
	( Temminck , 1825)

The Reinwardtspecht ( Reinwardtipicus validus ) is a species of bird from the family of the woodpeckers (Picidae). The genus Reinwardtipicus is monotypical with the Reinwardtspecht as the only species. This medium-sized woodpecker species colonizes large parts of Southeast Asia. Reinward woodpeckers are tied to forests and mainly inhabit the evergreen rainforest and secondary forest of the lowlands, but also coastal forests and old plantations . The food sought in the entire tree layer, especially dead wood, consists of larvae of wood-dwelling beetles, caterpillars, ants and other insects. In large parts of its large range, the species is considered to be rare or rare, but the population is apparently stable. The Reinwardtspecht is therefore classified by the IUCN as (= least concern - not endangered).

description

Reinwardt woodpeckers are medium-sized woodpeckers with a short tail, a short feather bonnet and a long, chisel-shaped, pointed beak that is broad at the base. The ridge of the beak is only slightly bent downwards. The body length is about 30 cm, the weight 155-185 g. They are thus somewhat smaller than a green woodpecker , in terms of habit and lifestyle they are similar to the black woodpecker . In terms of coloration, the species shows a very pronounced sexual dimorphism , with the males being very colorful.

In both sexes the control feathers, the shoulder feathers and the upper wing coverts are black-brown. All wings show three to five red-brown bands on a blackish background, which run out as red-brown spots on the large hand covers. The black undersides of the wings are banded brownish or cinnamon colored, the under wing coverts banded black or occasionally pale reddish brown and brown. The beak is light brown, the lower bill yellowish. Legs and toes are brownish to gray. The iris is brownish to orange-red.

In males of the subspecies Reinwardtipicus validus xanthopygius , which occurs in most of the distribution area , the upper and middle backs are yellow or orange in contrast to the black wings, on the lower back and the rump this color changes into a darker orange to red. The upper tail-coverts are dark brown to dark orange. The underside of the trunk appears mainly red due to the brown fletching with broad, dark red feather tips, the flanks, chest and upper belly are more yellowish. The middle of the abdomen is gray-brown, the under tail-coverts are dark brown. The forehead, skull and bonnet are red and pale orange below. The sides of the head are orange-brown and become darker and browner towards the back of the head. Throat and cheeks are golden brown. The upper back of the head and the nape of the neck are white and have a narrow brownish gray border towards the front, the rest of the neck is red like the trunk.

Females lack all red and orange tones. They are white or dirty white on the entire top of the trunk from the back of the head to the upper tail-coverts. The forehead, skull and bonnet are dark brown. There is a narrow and indistinct red-brown band on the sides of the neck, the sides of the head and the neck are otherwise dark gray-brown, as is the entire underside of the torso. Because of this, the flanks and abdomen show weak, light bands.

Vocalizations

A number of loud and piercing typical woodpecker calls are known for the species. These include single or lined up “pit” or “kit” calls as well as loud and fast calls such as “wicka” , “wiit-wiit-wiit-wiit-wiiuh” , “polliit, polliitit” or very excited-sounding calls like “twiitit” -twiitit, tcha-tcha ” . The species, however, only drums softly with very short vertebrae.

distribution and habitat

This species of woodpecker inhabits large parts of Southeast Asia. The distribution area extends in west-east direction from northwest Sumatra to east Borneo , in north-south direction from the extreme south of Myanmar and Thailand to the southern tip of Sumatra and to Java . The size of the total distribution area is estimated at around 1.24 million km².

Reinward woodpeckers are tied to forests and mainly inhabit the evergreen rainforest and secondary forest , but also coastal forests and old plantations . The animals are largely restricted to lowlands and are already rare in the hill country, but there are clearly significant geographical differences in terms of altitude distribution. On the mainland of Thailand and Malaysia , the species is most common below 700 m altitude and no longer occurs above 1000 m. The Reinward woodpecker is also most common in the lowlands on Borneo and Java, but has also been detected there at 2000 m (Borneo) and 2200 m (Java).

Way of life

The food that is sought in the entire tree layer and rarely also on the ground, especially on dead wood, consists of larvae of wood-dwelling beetles, caterpillars, ants and other insects. Most of the food is obtained by chopping on trunks and larger branches. Trees, tree stumps or lying dead wood are systematically searched. Reinward woodpeckers chop holes in bark and wood or remove large pieces of bark with strong side blows in order to then poke for prey.

Reinward woodpeckers live in pairs or family groups. The breeding season extends from January to September, whether there are regional differences is not yet known. The caves are created in dead trees, the clutch consists of 1 to 2 eggs. Further information on the breeding biology is not yet available.

Systematics

Two poorly differentiated subspecies are recognized:

Reinward tipicus validus xanthopygius ( Finsch , 1905) ; largest part of the distribution area.
Reinward tipicus validus validus ( Temminck , 1825) ; Java, males usually have more red on the lower back and rump and both sexes show a sometimes sharply demarcated brown banding there. In males the rump has a yellowish-olive tinge, in females it is more brownish.

Existence and endangerment

There is no information on the size of the population. In large parts of its large range, the species is considered to be rare or rare, but the population is apparently stable. The Reinwardtspecht is therefore classified by the IUCN as safe ("least concern").

swell

Individual evidence

↑ BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Reinwardtipicus validus . ( Online , accessed September 4, 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. 385

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 385-386.

Web links

Chrysocolaptes validus in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2009. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2009. Retrieved on 4 September, 2010.