Abyssinian Woodpecker
Dendropicos abyssinicus
A small, short-tailed woodpecker of the Abyssinian highlands. Note the pure golden-green back and the white facial streaks that frame a dark cheek. Males have a red cap and females a dark one. Found in montane woodland and open forest. Within its small range, most similar to Cardinal Woodpecker, but separated by the slightly larger size, the dark cheek, and the brighter yellow back. Quiet and inconspicuous, but sometimes gives a high, rattling call.
Identification
The Abyssinian woodpecker is a very small woodpecker with a relatively long and broad bill. It has a golden yellow back and mantle with a bright red rump and barred wings and barred tail, the underparts are pale and heavily streaked with black. The head is striped and the male is distinguished by having a red nape and crown. The brown stripe through the eye and the golden mantle separate this species from the related Cardinal Woodpecker. It measured 16 cm (6.3 in) in length and weighs 23–26 g (0.81–0.92 oz).
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Dendropicos abyssinicus
- Authority
- (Stanley, 1814)
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Picidae
- Genus
- Dendropicos
Range and habitat
The Abyssinian woodpecker is endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands. It occurs north, up to central Eritrea and the Degua Tembien mountains in Ethiopia, and east to Harar in Ethiopia and the River Alata, a tributary of the Hanger River.<p>This species occurs in juniper woods and Hagenia forest, also in areas of Euphorbia, particularly between 1,600 and 3,000 m (5,200 and 9,800 ft) and occasionally higher. It has also been found in wooded savanna at lower altitudes.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
The Abyssinian woodpecker has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable and is currently classed as Least Concern but it is thought to be decreasing in population and contracting its range due to continuing clearance of woodlands.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
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Frederickena unduliger
Magnificent dark antshrike of mature upland rainforest. Has a large head with a crest and strongly hooked bill. Males are slaty gray with fine black barring; females are tawny orange with fine black barring. Larger than most other antshrikes and antbirds in its range. Forages singly or in pairs in open understory, and seems to be somewhat rare throughout its range. Its song is a gradually rising series of low whistles given at a steady pace.
White-cheeked Tit
Aegithalos leucogenys
A tiny bird with a large head, a short bill, and a long tail. Similar in shape to other long-tailed tits, but note the unique combination of black throat, brown crown, and black eye-mask. Found in open woodlands and dry scrub forest. Usually forages in pairs or in small parties. The song is variable, consisting of harsh and disjointed sounds, shrill and squeaky notes, and trills and thin whistles.
Gurney's Sugarbird
Promerops gurneyi
A large nectar-eating bird with a decurved beak and a long graduated tail. Dull brown above, it is mostly pale below with a broad rusty breast band and crown and a yellow undertail. Pairs prefer to breed in areas of flowering Protea in escarpment mountains; when these become senescent, the sugarbirds move to lower altitudes, congregating on other flowers such as aloes. The species sings a characteristic scratchy, jumbled twittering and twanging. The larger Cape Sugarbird is similar, but has a much longer graduated tail, moustache-like stripes, and a harsher song, and lacks the rusty breast and crown.
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