Bearded Woodpecker
Chloropicus namaquus
The Bearded Woodpecker (Chloropicus namaquus) is a uncommon woodpecker found in 16 countries. The bearded woodpecker is a species of bird in the family Picidae.
About the Bearded Woodpecker
The bearded woodpecker is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It has a distinctive black and white head and brownish barred body. It is native to tropical central Africa. It has an extremely wide range and is a fairly common species, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern". Some taxonomic authorities place this species in Dendropicos.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The bearded woodpecker is one of the largest woodpeckers in Africa growing to a length of about 25 cm (10 in). The head is distinctive with a black moustache, a broad black eye-stripe and black crown contrasting with a white supercilium, face, chin and throat. The male has a red hind crown which the female lacks. The mantle is black and the rest of the upper parts are yellowish-brown with narrow white barring. The tail is brown, barred white, the feathers having yellowish shafts. The underparts are grey with narrow white barring.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Bearded Woodpecker can be seen all year round, with peak activity in November. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Bearded Woodpecker?
- The bearded woodpecker is one of the largest woodpeckers in Africa growing to a length of about 25 cm (10 in). Full identification notes are on this page.
- Where can you see a Bearded Woodpecker?
- The Bearded Woodpecker occurs in 16 countries, including South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Kenya and Tanzania.
- What birds look similar to a Bearded Woodpecker?
- The Bearded Woodpecker is most easily confused with the Yellow-crested Woodpecker and the Fire-bellied Woodpecker.
- Is the Bearded Woodpecker endangered?
- The Bearded Woodpecker is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Bearded Woodpecker for real
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