Spotted woodpecker
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Spotted Woodpecker ( Campethera cailliautii ) |
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| Campethera cailliautii | ||||||||||
| ( Malherbe , 1849) |
The Tüpfelspecht ( Campethera cailliautii ) is a species of bird from the family of woodpeckers (Picidae). The range of the species covers large parts of central Africa as well as a disjoint area in southwest Ethiopia . The spotted woodpecker inhabits a broad spectrum of open or semi-open tree-lined habitats from the edges of the tropical rainforest to the thorn bush savannah and tree-lined water edges in arid areas . The food sought in the crown region consists mainly of ants and termites .
The species is mostly only locally distributed and not very common. The population is considered stable, the spotted woodpecker is therefore classified by the IUCN as 
(= least concern - not endangered).
description
Spotted woodpeckers are very small woodpeckers with a short beak that is broad at the base. The body length is about 16 cm, the weight 34-57 g; they are as big as a small woodpecker , but almost twice as heavy. The species shows a clear sexual dimorphism in terms of coloration .
In males of the subspecies C. c. loveridgei in the east of the distribution area, the upper side of the trunk including the upper wing- coverts is yellowish green, rump and upper tail- coverts are more yellowish. On this ground a whitish, bandage-like speckle is formed, which turns into a greenish banding on the rump. The wings are brown with yellow-green edges on the outside flags and white banding, which is strongest on the inside flags . The control springs are yellowish green on top. The entire underside of the trunk is greenish white, with the chest being beige in color and the belly more yellowish. Because of this, the throat and chest show a dark brown spot, which becomes smaller and sparse towards the belly and is more like a bandage on the flanks. The under wing-coverts are pale yellow with blackish spots. The lower tail is also yellowish with dark tips and occasionally indistinctly banded at the base.
The fletching of the forehead and skull is black with red tips, the back of the head is solid red. With the exception of the reins, the chin, upper throat and sides of the head are dense black spots on a beige-white background. The sides of the neck and nape of the neck are heavily spotted with black on a beige-white background.
The beak is gray or blackish with a dark tip, the base of the mandible is greenish or horn green. Legs and toes are gray, green, or olive gray, sometimes with a shade of yellow. The iris is reddish to brownish.
In the female, the forehead and feathers of the upper head are black with beige spots, the red area is limited to the neck.
Vocalizations
The most frequent call is a slightly strong, plaintive "hee" or "klieee" , which is repeated 4 to 12 times at regular intervals. At encounters with conspecifics and also in flight, scratching "grrrr" or "dddn" calls as well as calls like "tiew-ä" "wik-ä" are uttered , which are also occasionally lined up. Couple partners in close contact call "ääääää" or "ää-ää" . The drum rolls are short and quiet.
distribution and habitat
The range of the species covers large parts of central Africa as well as a disjoint area in southwest Ethiopia . The main area extends in the north in a west-east direction from the east of Ghana to the south of Somalia . The southern border of the distribution runs in a west-east direction from northern Angola through the north and northwest of Zambia to the Limpopo River in Mozambique . The size of the total distribution area is estimated at 10.2 million km².
Spotted woodpeckers inhabit a broad spectrum of open or semi-open tree-lined habitats from the edges of the tropical rainforest to the thorn bush savannah and tree-lined edges of water in arid regions, locally the species also populates palm groves. The animals occur in East Africa up to 2100 m altitude, in Zimbabwe up to 1000 m, locally also up to 1200 m.
Systematics
Winkler et al. recognize four well-differentiated subspecies:
- Campethera c. loveridgei Hartert , 1920 - Central Tanzania around Kilosa , south to the Limpopo River in Mozambique , west to Mount Zelinda in easternmost Zimbabwe . The subspecies is described above.
- Campethera c. cailliautii ( Malherbe , 1849) - coastal area from southern Somalia to the south over eastern Kenya to northeastern Tanzania including Zanzibar . Slightly smaller than the previous subspecies, the upper side more spotted and less banded, the upper side of the tail more brown, the lower side more uniform.
- Campethera c. nyansae ( Neumann , 1900) - southwest Kenya and northwest Tanzania south to northern Zambia , west across the east and southeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to northeast Angola , also isolated in southwest Ethiopia . A little more long-winged than Campethera c. loveridgei . The upper side is more green, with less yellow and light, narrow dashes, the lower side more spotted and the spots tending towards ribbons. Also, the beak wider at the base, even wider than that of the following subspecies. Mixes with the following subspecies in Angola and the south and east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Campethera c. permista ( Reichenow , 1876) - East Ghana , from southwest Uganda over the central Democratic Republic of the Congo to northwest Angola. Clearly different from the other subspecies. Upper side solid green without light markings, underside completely banded in dark. In southern Nigeria, some individuals show a lighter underside with narrower bands.
Way of life
Spotted woodpeckers are inconspicuous and are found singly or in pairs. The food sought in the crown region on both dead and living parts of the trees consists mainly of ants and termites and is probably obtained primarily by reading, less often by hoeing.
The breeding season falls in the east of the range from September to November. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the breeding season is likely between March and September and is there limited to the rainy seasons. The caves are created in trees and palms, the clutches contain two to three, rarely four eggs. Both sexes breed and feed the young. Further information on the breeding biology is not yet available.
Existence and endangerment
Information on the size of the world population is not available. The species is mostly only locally distributed and not very common. The population is considered stable, the spotted woodpecker is therefore classified by the IUCN as safe ("least concern").
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Spotted Woodpecker at BirdLife International (Online, accessed April 18, 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. 234
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. 74-75 and 233-234.
Web links
- Campethera cailliautii in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2010. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2009. Accessed April 18, 2011th
Other web links
- Videos, photos and sound recordings of Campethera cailliautii in the Internet Bird Collection