Black-rumped flameback facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black-rumped flameback |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Flameback woodpecker
|
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Dinopium
|
| Species: |
benghalense
|
| Subspecies | |
|
See text |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
The black-rumped flameback (Dinopium benghalense) is a cool woodpecker. It is also called the lesser golden-backed woodpecker. You can find it all over the Indian subcontinent. This bird is special because it lives in cities too! It makes a unique rattling sound. When it flies, it moves up and down like waves. This flameback is easy to spot. It is the only golden-backed woodpecker with a black throat and a black rump.
Contents
What is a Black-rumped Flameback?
The black-rumped flameback is a pretty big bird. It can be about 26 to 29 centimeters long. It looks like a typical woodpecker. Its golden-yellow wing feathers are very noticeable. The back part of its body, called the rump, is black. This is different from the greater flameback, which has a red rump.
Its belly is white with dark, V-shaped marks. The black throat has small white spots. This helps you tell it apart from other golden-backed woodpeckers. Its head is whitish with a black back of the neck. There is also a grey patch around its eye. Unlike some other flamebacks, it does not have dark lines on its cheeks.
How to Tell Males and Females Apart
Male black-rumped flamebacks have a bright red top of the head and a red crest. Females have a black front part of their head with white spots. Their red feathers are only on the back of their crest. Young birds look like the females but are not as brightly colored.
Special Features of Woodpeckers
Like all woodpeckers, this bird has a straight, pointed beak. It also has a stiff tail. This tail helps it lean against tree trunks while it pecks. Its feet are special too. Two toes point forward, and two point backward. This helps it grip trees tightly. It has a long tongue that can shoot out. This tongue helps it catch insects hiding in wood.
The black-rumped flameback is the only golden-backed woodpecker. It has both a black throat and a black rump. Sometimes, birds with unusual white patches have been seen. These are called leucistic birds.
Where Do Black-rumped Flamebacks Live?
You can find this flameback mainly in flat areas. They live up to about 1200 meters high. They are found in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. They like open forests and farms. You can often see them in cities with lots of trees. They are not very common in the desert areas of Rajasthan.
How Do Black-rumped Flamebacks Behave?
These birds usually live in pairs or small groups. Sometimes, they join other bird species to look for food. They search for food from the ground all the way up to the tops of trees. They mostly eat insects. They especially like beetle larvae found under tree bark. They also visit termite mounds. Sometimes, they even eat sweet nectar from flowers.
When they hop around on branches, they often hide from animals that might try to eat them. They are good at living near people. They can use things like buildings and even eat food scraps.
Nesting and Babies
The time they lay eggs changes depending on the weather. It is usually between February and July. During this time, they often make drumming sounds. They dig their own nest holes in trees. The entrance is usually flat, and then it goes down into a hollow space. Sometimes, they might take over nest holes from other birds. They have even been seen nesting in mud walls.
They lay their eggs inside the hole without any soft lining. A normal nest has three eggs. The eggs are long and shiny white. The eggs hatch after about 11 days. The baby birds leave the nest after about 20 days.
Black-rumped Flamebacks in Culture
In Sri Lanka, these woodpeckers are called kæralaa in the Sinhala language. In some parts of the island, they are also called kottoruwa. But this name usually means barbets. This bird has even been on a 4.50 rupee Sri Lankan postal stamp. It also appeared on a 3.75 Taka postal stamp from Bangladesh.
Images for kids
-
Lesser Goldenback in Guwahati, India
-
At Salt Lake, canal side, Kolkata
