Brown-backed Woodpecker
Dendropicos obsoletus
The Brown-backed Woodpecker (Dendropicos obsoletus) is a rare woodpecker found in 22 countries, weighing about 21 g. The brown-backed woodpecker is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae.
About the Brown-backed Woodpecker
The brown-backed woodpecker is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in a belt across the savannah region of sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania in the east. It is generally uncommon, but has a very large range and the population appears to be steady, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The brown-backed woodpecker is a small species, growing to a length of between 13 and 16 cm (5.1 and 6.3 in). The beak is long and chisel-tipped with a wide base. The male has a red hind crown and nape while the female lacks these. Otherwise the sexes are similar, the head is brown with a white supercilium and moustache and dark ear coverts. The body plumage is brown with white barring on the wings and tail and the underparts are whitish, with variable amounts of dark streaking.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Brown-backed 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 Brown-backed Woodpecker?
- The brown-backed woodpecker is a small species, growing to a length of between 13 and 16 cm (5.1 and 6.3 in). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Brown-backed Woodpecker?
- The Brown-backed Woodpecker is a small sized bird weighing about 21 g.
- Where can you see a Brown-backed Woodpecker?
- The Brown-backed Woodpecker occurs in 22 countries, including Kenya, the Gambia, Ghana, Uganda and Tanzania.
- What birds look similar to a Brown-backed Woodpecker?
- The Brown-backed Woodpecker is most easily confused with the Elliot's Woodpecker, the Melancholy Woodpecker and the Speckle-breasted Woodpecker.
- Is the Brown-backed Woodpecker endangered?
- The Brown-backed Woodpecker is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Brown-backed Woodpecker for real
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