Andaman woodpecker
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Dryocopus hodgei

The Andaman woodpecker (Dryocopus hodgei ) is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae. It is endemic to the Andaman Islands in India. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Appearance

The Andaman woodpecker is around 38 cm (15 in) long and weighs between 156–255 g (5.5–9.0 oz). The plumage is mostly slate-grey to black, with a bright red crest. The male also has a red crown and malar area under the eye. The bare skin around the eye is grey, and the legs are slaty coloured, and the bill is black. The irises are pale yellow. Juvenile birds look like adults but have browner, duller plumage and brown eyes, and may have with feathers in the crown. The species differs from the white-bellied woodpecker in not having a white belly and having more slate-coloured plumage (as opposed to black).

Geography

Continents
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Biogeographical realms

Biome

Habits and Lifestyle

Little is recorded about the behaviour of the Andaman woodpecker. It lives in pairs, but also associates in small flocks. It forages on large trunks and branches, but has also been recorded foraging on the ground for ants. It has been recorded breeding between January and March, and breeds in a nest hole 6–14 m (20–46 ft) off the forest floor, in a dead tree. Two eggs are laid.

Lifestyle
Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

References

1. Andaman woodpecker Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_woodpecker
2. Andaman woodpecker on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22681379/118582685
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/341306

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