Stripe-breasted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos atratus
Medium-sized black-and-white woodpecker with a dirty-yellow breast overlaid with fine black streaking. Male has a brilliant red crown extending from above the eye to the back of the neck. Similar Freckle-breasted Woodpecker has less warm-colored underparts and is considerably smaller. Stripe-breasted inhabits open forests, edges, gardens, and plantations from lowlands up into the mountains. Gives high-pitched sharp notes and long rattles; voice is generally higher-pitched than in other similar species. Joins mixed-species foraging flocks.
Identification
Adult length is between 21 and 22 cm (8.3 and 8.7 in). The upper parts are black heavily barred with white, with the mantle being unbarred. The upper tail is black with some white markings on the outer feathers. The crown and nape are red in the male and black in the female. The face is whitish with a black moustache which unites with a stripe on the edge of the breast. The throat, breast and belly are greyish-yellow or greyish-buff, boldly streaked with black. The under tail coverts are red. The iris is chestnut and the beak is grey, long and sharply pointed. The legs and feet are bluish-grey. The juvenile has greyer underparts, the under-tail coverts are pink or orange, and the crown is a duller red in young males.
Taxonomy
The species was first described in 1849 by the English zoologist Edward Blyth, who was curator of the museum of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal. He named it Dryobates atratus, but it was later transferred to the genus Dendrocopos. It forms a species-pair with the fulvous-breasted woodpecker (Dendrocopos macei). Birds in Vietnam are sometimes considered to be a separate race, vietnamensis, but the evidence for this is unconvincing.
- Scientific name
- Dendrocopos atratus
- Authority
- (Blyth, 1849)
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Picidae
- Genus
- Dendrocopos
Range and habitat
The stripe-breasted woodpecker is native to southeastern Asia. Its range extends from northeastern India to Vietnam and the province of Yunnan in southwestern China. It is a fairly uncommon species, but the population appears to be stable, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".<p>The stripe-breasted woodpecker is mainly found in montane evergreen forest, particularly pine and oak forest, but also the edges of deciduous forests, as well as more open areas with scattered trees. Its altitudinal range is from about 800 to 2,800 m (2,600 to 9,200 ft) but it mostly occurs above 2,000 m (6,600 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The stripe-breasted woodpecker feeds in the mid to upper parts of the canopy on insects, particularly ants and beetle larvae, often foraging in pairs or small family groups. Breeding takes place from February onwards in many parts of the range, but from March to May in India and from April to May in Myanmar. The nest is excavated in a rotten stump or tree well above the ground. The clutch size is typically four or five, and on one occasion, two birds, an adult male and an adult female, were observed incubating the eggs at the same time.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Rufescent Antshrike
Thamnistes rufescens
Scarce arboreal antbird found in cloud forest along the east slope of the Andes. Its brown and buff plumage, facial pattern, and behavior make it much more likely to be confused with a foliage-gleaner than with other antbirds, but note the stout bill with a hooked tip. Found at middle levels of the forest, and usually encountered with mixed-species flocks. Gives a series of about 8 shrill whistles as well as a faster, rising chatter. No overlap with Russet Antshrike, from which this species was recently split.
American White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Extremely large and conspicuous. White with black wingtips. Very long, orange bill with pouch for scooping up fish. Forages in flocks, swimming together to concentrate fish. Often soars in flocks, infrequently flapping, during migration and when traveling between feeding sites.
Orange-billed Lorikeet
Neopsittacus pullicauda
A medium-sized, long-tailed parrot of upper-montane cloud forest and clearings. Predominantly green with a bright red patch from the chest to the belly, broadest in the chest. Orange bill and pale green streaks on the face. Readily seen flying in small flocks. Similar to Yellow-billed Lorikeet, but Orange-billed Lorikeet is usually found at higher elevations, is slightly smaller with an obviously orange bill and greenish undertail. Call, a ringing, high-pitch phrase “sik siruk!” or single “Sik!” note.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.