Brown-backed woodpecker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brown-backed woodpecker |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Dendropicos
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| Species: |
obsoletus
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| Distribution shown in green | |
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The brown-backed woodpecker (Dendropicos obsoletus) is a small bird in the woodpecker family. You can find it in the savannah areas of Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. It lives all the way from Senegal in the west to countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania in the east.
Even though you might not see it often, this woodpecker lives across a very large area. Its population seems to be stable. Because of this, experts say it is a species of "least concern". This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
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About the Brown-backed Woodpecker
This woodpecker was first described in 1829 by a German scientist named Johann Georg Wagler. Its scientific name, Dendropicos obsoletus, means "plain" or "ordinary" woodpecker.
Scientists recognize four different types, or subspecies, of the brown-backed woodpecker:
- D. o. obsoletus: Found from Senegal and Gambia to parts of Sudan, Uganda, Cameroon, and Congo.
- D. o. heuglini: Lives in eastern Sudan to northern Ethiopia.
- D. o. ingens: Found in southern Ethiopia to Uganda and central Kenya.
- D. o. crateri: Lives in northern Tanzania.
What Does It Look Like?
The brown-backed woodpecker is a small bird. It grows to be about 13 to 16 centimeters (5 to 6 inches) long. It has a long beak that looks like a chisel, which helps it peck into wood.
Male and female brown-backed woodpeckers look very similar. However, the male has a red patch on the back of its head and neck. The female does not have this red patch.
Both sexes have a brown head with a white stripe above their eye. They also have a dark patch near their ears. Their bodies are mostly brown with white stripes on their wings and tail. The feathers on their belly are whitish, sometimes with dark streaks.
Where Does It Live?
This woodpecker lives across a wide area of Africa. You can find it from Guinea Bissau in the west to Eritrea and northern Tanzania in the east.
It prefers open, dry places. This includes scrubland, the edges of forests, and savannahs with scattered trees. You might even spot it in suburban gardens! It can live from sea level up to about 2,300 meters (7,500 feet) high. Some have even been seen higher up on Mount Kenya.
How It Lives and Breeds
Raising Young Birds
Brown-backed woodpeckers usually breed between February and June. They make their nests by digging a hole in a dead or living tree. These nests are usually found between 1.5 to 6 meters (5 to 20 feet) above the ground. The tree might be at the edge of a forest or standing alone.
The female woodpecker lays about two eggs. Both the male and female take turns sitting on the eggs to keep them warm. After the chicks hatch, both parents work together to feed them until they are old enough to leave the nest.
