Little spotted woodpecker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little spotted woodpecker |
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The little spotted woodpecker is also known as the green-backed woodpecker (Campethera cailliautii). This bird is a type of woodpecker from the Picidae family. It lives in many parts of tropical central Africa. This woodpecker is not very common, but it has a very large area where it can be found. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says it is a "least concern" species. This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
Different Types (Subspecies)
Within the little spotted woodpecker species, there are three main types, called subspecies. These are like different versions of the same bird, often found in different places.
- C. c. nyansae: This type lives in southwestern Kenya and Ethiopia. You can also find it in northwestern Tanzania, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, northeastern Angola, and northern Zambia.
- C. c. cailliautii: This type lives in southern Somalia and northeastern Tanzania.
- C. c. loveridgei: This type is found in central Tanzania and Mozambique.
One type, called permista, used to be part of the little spotted woodpecker family. But in 2022, scientists decided it was actually more like the little green woodpecker. They made this change because the two birds look very similar.
What Does It Look Like?
The little spotted woodpecker grows to be about 16 cm (6 in) long.
The male bird has a bright red top of its head, with small black spots. The back of its neck is also bright red.
The female bird has a blackish top of its head with white spots. The back of her neck is red, just like the male's.
Both male and female woodpeckers have green upper parts. These green parts have cream or yellow spots. Their underparts are buff (a pale yellowish-brown) or white. These parts have bold black spots. Their sides also have black stripes.
The tail of the bird is green. Each tail feather has a brownish stem. The area above its eye (called the supercilium) is white. The ring around its eye is grey, and its eye is chestnut brown. Its beak is grey with a black tip. The legs and feet are grey or olive green.
Young woodpeckers look a lot like the female. However, the red on the back of their neck might be very small.
Where Does It Live?
The little spotted woodpecker lives in many countries in Africa. These include Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
This bird can live in many different kinds of places. It can be found in wet or dry forests. It also lives in forests along rivers (gallery forests) or in flooded forests. You might see it in scrubland, savannah, or coastal woodlands. It also likes palm oil farms, gardens, and even wooded villages.
Most of these birds live in low-lying areas. But you can find them at higher places too, up to about 2,100 m (6,900 ft) above sea level.
What Does It Eat?
The little spotted woodpecker mainly eats ants and termites. It finds these insects on trees.
These woodpeckers often look for food in pairs. Sometimes, they might join small groups of different kinds of birds to search for food together.
