Termite woodpecker
| Termite woodpecker | ||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Campethera nivosa | ||||||||||
| ( Swainson , 1837) |
The termite woodpecker ( Campethera nivosa ) is a species of bird from the family of woodpeckers (Picidae). This very small species of woodpecker inhabits southern West Africa and western central Africa . It inhabits mainly the tropical rainforest of the lowlands, but also dense secondary forest , Gmelina -Waldland, like a mosaic composed of forest, scrub and grassland and gardens. The food mainly sought in the lower tree layer consists mainly of ants of the genus Crematogaster and termites .
The species is quite common to common in most of its range. The population is considered stable, the termite woodpecker is therefore classified by the IUCN as harmless (“least concern”).
description
Termite woodpeckers are very small and overall very dark woodpeckers with a short and narrow beak at the base. The ridge of the beak is bent downwards. The body length is about 14-16 cm, the weight 30-49 g; they are as big as a small woodpecker , but almost twice as heavy. The species shows a not very conspicuous sexual dimorphism in terms of coloration .
In males of the nominate form , the upper side including the rump , upper tail-coverts and upper wing coverts is monochrome bronze-green, very rarely with a few light spots. The wings are brown with green borders and banded yellow-green on the inside flags . The outer flags show a bright spot. The top of the tail is blackish brown. The entire underside of the trunk is dark olive green. For this reason, the area from the throat to the lower breast is spotted beige-whitish, towards the tail and on the flanks the speckling becomes more like a bandage. The lower wings are yellowish. The lower tail is blackish brown, the outer tail feathers show yellowish parts.
The forehead and upper head are dark green-olive or a little darker, the back of the head is red. The chin, reins and the sides of the head are dotted with strong olive dots on a whitish, sometimes slightly beige background, occasionally a faint, light stripe above the eye can be seen behind the eye.
The upper bill is slate black, the lower bill bluish or greenish gray. Legs and toes are olive to greenish. The iris is reddish brown to red, the eye ring is dull olive.
In the female only the red back of the head is missing; like the rest of the skull, this area is blackish olive.
Vocalizations
The most frequent calls sound like "preeew" and trilling "dee-dee-dee ..." , when conspecifics meet calls like "te-te-te" are uttered.
Systematics
Winkler et al. recognize three poorly differentiated subspecies:
- Campethera nivosa nivosa ( Swainson , 1837) - western part of the distribution area from Senegambia to the east to Cameroon and to the west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , to the south to Angola and to the north-west of Zambia. The nominate form is described above.
- C. n. Poensis Alexander , 1903 - Endemic to the island of Bioko . Belly whiter than in the nominate form, tail slightly more yellow, breast spots more like bandages.
- C. n. Herberti ( Alexander , 1908) - Eastern part of the distribution area, Central African Republic and from Sudan to Kenya, south to the central and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Slightly smaller than the nominate shape, the upper side more green and less bronze-colored, the underside more yellow, the chest patches more like a bandage and the abdomen overall lighter due to wider, light bandages, the upper tail greener. The wings and control springs show more yellow on the keels.
distribution and habitat
The range of the termite woodpecker includes the south of West Africa and the west of central Africa. In West Africa the species occurs from Senegambia to southeast Nigeria , from there to the east to the extreme southwest of Sudan and western Kenya . To the south, the distribution extends to the north-west of Angola and the north-west of Zambia . The species may be even more widespread. The size of the total distribution area is estimated at 3.79 million km².
The species inhabits mainly the tropical rainforest of the lowlands, but also dense secondary forest , Gmelina -Waldland, like a mosaic composed of forest, scrub and grassland and gardens. The animals usually stay below 950 m altitude, and evidence is rarely made up to 1800 m altitude.
Way of life
Termite woodpeckers are not shy, but not conspicuous and not very loud, so they are often overlooked. They are usually found in pairs and often join mixed flocks of birds. The food mainly sought in the lower tree layer consists mainly of ants of the genus Crematogaster and termites . Food objects are mainly obtained by hammering and reading.
The species breeds between November and June. The caves are made in trees in the nests of tree-dwelling ants and termites, occasionally also in wood. The clutch comprises two eggs; further information on the brood biology is not yet available.
Existence and endangerment
Information on the size of the world population is not available. The species is quite common to common in most of its range. The population is considered stable, the termite woodpecker is therefore classified by the IUCN as harmless (“least concern”).
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ 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. 236
- ↑ The Termite Woodpecker at BirdLife International (Online, accessed April 7, 2011)
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. 76-77 and 235-236.
Web links
- Campethera nivosa in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2009. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2009. Accessed April 7 2011th
Other web links
- Videos, photos and sound recordings about Campethera nivosa in the Internet Bird Collection