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The Nubian woodpecker is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is distributed widely in Central and Eastern Africa, from Chad in west to Somalia in east and Tanzania in south. It is a fairly common species with a wide range, the population seems stable, and 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.
ID tip
The Nubian woodpecker Is a medium-sized species growing to a length of about 21 cm (8.3 in). The male has a red crown and nape and a reddish streak on the cheek, while the female has a black crown speckled with white, a red nape, and a dark cheek stripe with white speckling. In other respects, the sexes are similar. The upper parts are olive-brown with much cream speckling and barring. The wings are greenish-brown barred with white and the tail greenish-yellow barred with brown, the shafts of the feathers being gold.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Sudan.
When to see it
Peak activity in November · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Bennett's WoodpeckerCampethera bennettiiBennett's woodpecker is about 24 cm (9.4 in) long and weighs 61–84 g (2.2–3.0 oz).
Knysna WoodpeckerCampethera notataThis species is distinguished from the other South African woodpeckers by its thickly spotted under-surface which is covered with black spots from the chin to the vent.
Fine-spotted WoodpeckerCampethera punctuligeraThis bird is 22 cm (8.7 in) in length.
Learn the Nubian Woodpecker for real
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