Scaled Green Woodpecker
| Scaled Green Woodpecker | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green woodpecker (male) |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Picus squamatus | ||||||||||||
| Vigors , 1831 |
The scaly-bellied woodpecker ( Picus squamatus ) is a species of bird from the family of woodpeckers (Picidae). This large woodpecker species populates with numerous disjoint local occurrences in the lower and middle layers of the southern edge of the Central Asian high mountains from western Afghanistan to the east to the northeast Indian state of Sikkim and the district of Darjiling . The adaptable green woodpecker inhabits a broad spectrum of forest types from pure coniferous forest , mixed and moderate deciduous forest to subtropical deciduous dry forest, open woodland characterized by juniper ( Juniperus spp.) And river-accompanying poplar forests, but also arid landscapes, if there are groups of trees or orchards Plantations are available. The food sought on trees and regularly on the ground consists primarily of ants and termites as well as larvae of other wood-dwelling insects. These woodpeckers also eat berries in winter.
description
The green woodpecker is a typical representative of the genus Picus and is similar in habit and color to the green woodpecker, which is also native to Central Europe . They are large woodpeckers without a clear bonnet, with a stiff, long tail and a long, slightly chisel-shaped, pointed beak that is quite broad at the base. The ridge of the beak is almost straight. The body length is about 35 cm, the weight 156-194 g. The common green woodpecker is the largest species of the genus Picus and is slightly larger than the green woodpecker. The species shows a clear sexual dimorphism in terms of color , females also have a slightly shorter beak than males.
In males, the entire back, including the shoulder feathers, is green, the rump is yellow. The upper wing-coverts are predominantly yellow with a green base, the hand-coverts are brownish black like the wings. The arm wings and the umbrella feathers have green outer flags and also partly green inside flags , the complete hand wings as well as the other inner flags of the arm wings and umbrella feathers show a white or whitish banding. The top of the tail is dark brown with beige-white banding, the outer control feathers have a strong green tone. The breast is olive with variable gray washings and not marked. The basic color of the rest of the underside of the fuselage is greyish-white with a shade of green. For this reason, all feathers show wide, black submarginal hems and usually also narrow black shaft lines, which create a strong scale pattern. The under wing are banded brown and white, the under wing coverts with a yellow wash. The lower tail is lighter than the upper side of the tail and banded yellowish.
In the worn plumage, the upper side is overall much grayer and sometimes irregularly mottled gray, the rump is pale yellow. The chest is grayer and the scales on the underside are even clearer.
Forehead, skull and neck are red, more orange in a narrow wedge at the nape of the neck; this red area is narrowly bordered in black from the forehead to the back of the head. A narrow white over-eye stripe runs from the front edge of the eye to the back of the head, underneath there is a narrow black eye stripe. The ear covers and cheeks are olive gray, the sides of the neck more green or yellow. A rein stripe is missing, the beard stripe is black with white dashes. The chin and throat, like the breast, are olive with a variable shade of gray and unmarked.
The beak is pale horn-yellow to pale yellow-gray, the tip is usually darker. Legs and toes are greenish gray to olive green. The iris is pink with a lighter outer ring.
In the female, the red areas on the head are missing; The forehead, top of the head and neck are black with gray dots.
Vocalizations
The most common revier and courtship call, also uttered in flight, is a melodic, vibrating, two-syllable "klee-guh kleeguh, klee-wi, klee-wi" or "kuik-kuik-kuik" , which is repeated three to eight times quickly and often associated with drums. It also describes laughing calls that are similar to those of the green woodpecker, as well as more rarely heard calls such as “tscheenk” or “peer” . The animals drum regularly during the breeding season.
distribution and habitat
This woodpecker species populates with numerous disjoint local occurrences the lower and middle layers of the southern edge of the Central Asian high mountains from western Afghanistan to the east over the north of Pakistan and the northwest of India to the east of Nepal , the northeast Indian state of Sikkim and the district Darjiling . The species is also found north of Nepal in Tibet . There used to be occurrences further west in Iran and Turkmenistan , but there the species is apparently extinct. The size of the total distribution area is not exactly known.
Scale green woodpeckers inhabit a broad spectrum of forest types from pure coniferous forest , mixed and temperate deciduous forest to subtropical deciduous dry forest, open woodland characterized by juniper ( Juniperus spp.) And river-accompanying poplar forests, but also arid landscapes if there are groups of trees, fruit groves or plantations are. The species occurs in the Himalayas at altitudes between 1500 and 3700 m, locally also down to 600 m. Outside the breeding season, these woodpeckers can also be seen above the tree line.
Systematics
Winkler et al. recognize two quite well differentiated subspecies:
- Picus squamatus squamatus Vigors , 1831 - The area of the nominate form extends from northeastern Afghanistan to Sikkim.
- Picus s. flavirostris ( Menzbier , 1886) - Afghanistan without the northeast and Pakistan. Much lighter than nominate form, yellowish tone on the upper side, throat white, pale olive-beige breast, yellowish belly, scales narrower, brownish and less contrasting.
nutrition
The food that is sought individually or in pairs on trees and regularly also on the ground consists primarily of ants and termites as well as larvae of other wood-dwelling insects. These woodpeckers also eat berries in winter. They get their food by chopping and hammering trees, on the ground they move around by hopping.
Reproduction
Scaled green woodpeckers live in pairs. The courtship begins in March. The approximately 30 cm deep caves are often created very low above the ground by both partners in trees of all kinds, even in exposed tree roots on river banks. The eggs are laid at the end of April at the earliest, mostly in May and probably at the beginning of June at the latest. The clutch consists of four to six eggs that are incubated by both partners for 17 days. The young are provided with food that has been strangled and remain with their parents after they leave.
Existence and endangerment
Information on the size of the world population is not available. The species is considered common to fairly common, even if only locally distributed. The stock situation of the common green woodpecker was classified in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2016 as “ Least Concern (LC) ” = “not endangered”.
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ Der Schuppengrünspecht at BirdLife International (Online, accessed January 3, 2011)
- ↑ 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. 364
- ↑ Picus squamatus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2016 Posted by: BirdLife International, 2016. Accessed March 10, 2018th
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. 146-147 and 364-365.
Web links
- Picus squamatus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2010. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2009. Accessed January 3, 2011th
Other web links
- Videos, photos and sound recordings of Picus squamatus in the Internet Bird Collection