Melancholy woodpecker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Melancholy woodpecker |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Illustration (right) with Gabon woodpecker (in front) | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Dendropicos
|
| Species: |
lugubris
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
The melancholy woodpecker (Dendropicos lugubris) is a type of woodpecker. It lives in West Africa, from Sierra Leone all the way to Nigeria. You can find it in forests, at the edges of forests, in open clearings, and in woodlands.
Some scientists used to think this bird was a subspecies of the Gabon woodpecker. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has checked on this bird. They say it is a "least-concern species." This means it is not in danger of disappearing right now.
Contents
What Does the Melancholy Woodpecker Look Like?
.jpg)
The melancholy woodpecker is about 17 to 18 centimeters (about 7 inches) long. Its head has an olive-brown top, called the crown. The back of its neck, called the nape, is red if it's a male bird. If it's a female, the nape is blackish.
Its face is white. It has an olive-brown stripe near its beak, called a malar stripe. The feathers covering its ears are dark. A white stripe above its eye is called a supercilium. The chin and throat are white, often with dark lines or spots.
The upper parts of its body are a shiny bronzy-green color. The feathers used for flying are brown with greenish-bronze edges. Its tail is black on top and grey-black underneath. The belly and chest are greenish-yellow with wide brown stripes. The beak is greyish, and its legs are olive or grey. The bird's eyes are chestnut-colored.
Young melancholy woodpeckers look a bit duller than adults. Their upper parts do not have the same bronze shine.
Where Does the Melancholy Woodpecker Live?
This woodpecker lives in the Upper Guinean forests of West Africa. You can find it in many countries. These include Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
It likes to live in open forests and at the edges of forests. It also lives in clearings and in forests that are growing back after being cut down. You can find it in woodlands, too. It lives in places up to 1,200 meters (about 3,900 feet) high. Sometimes, it also lives in swamps, on farms with planted trees, and even in gardens.
How Does the Melancholy Woodpecker Behave?
The melancholy woodpecker eats insects. It finds its food high up in the trees, in the canopy. These birds often look for food in family groups. They also join groups of different bird species that are foraging together.
This woodpecker sometimes makes drumming sounds. These sounds can be quiet or very loud. It also makes many different calls. Some calls sound like a tinny trill. Others are a series of "rrek" and "rrak" notes. It can also make sounds like "b-ddddddd-d-it," "br-r-r-r-r-r-r," and "zh-dzeeeep." When birds are arguing, they make "pit" notes.
They usually lay eggs and raise their young between December and March.
Is the Melancholy Woodpecker Safe?
The melancholy woodpecker lives across a very large area. Its population, meaning the number of these birds, is also stable. Because of this, the IUCN has decided it is a least-concern species. This means scientists are not worried about it becoming endangered or extinct in the near future.
