Reichenow's Woodpecker
Encyclopedia
The Speckle-throated Woodpecker (Campethera scriptoricauda), also known as Reichenow's Woodpecker, is an East African woodpecker often considered a subspecies of Bennett's Woodpecker
.
) and pale yellowish below with black speckles. The speckles continue forward through the throat, the main point of distinction from both the Nubian and Bennett's Woodpeckers. The bill is pale, depicted as yellow or off-white.
Among its calls in Tanzania are "wi-wi-wi-wi-wi and a short churr." At least in Mozambique, it is probably vocally indistinguishable from Bennett's Woodpecker.
between Beira
and the lower Zambezi
river, in central and southeastern Malawi
, and in eastern and central Tanzania
north to Handeni
as well as in the North Pare Mountains
and around Mount Kilimanjaro
. Formerly it was also found around Mombasa
, Kenya
. It inhabits
open woodlands. At least in Mozambique, it prefers broad-leaved woodland with an understory of tall grass, and it is probably rather common.
it with Bennett's Woodpecker, Zimmerman et al. because "it is said to intergrade freely with nominate bennettii in Malawi" Here it is considered a separate species following the Handbook of the Birds of the World
and other authorities.
Bennett's Woodpecker
The Bennett's Woodpecker is a species of bird in the Picidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded...
.
Description
It is greenish above with yellowish barring (giving a slightly yellower appearance than the similar Nubian WoodpeckerNubian Woodpecker
The Nubian Woodpecker is a species of bird in the Picidae family.It is distributed widely in Central and Eastern Africa, from Chad in west to Somalia in east and Tanzania in south.-References:...
) and pale yellowish below with black speckles. The speckles continue forward through the throat, the main point of distinction from both the Nubian and Bennett's Woodpeckers. The bill is pale, depicted as yellow or off-white.
Among its calls in Tanzania are "wi-wi-wi-wi-wi and a short churr." At least in Mozambique, it is probably vocally indistinguishable from Bennett's Woodpecker.
Distribution and habitat
It lives in open woodland in MozambiqueMozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
between Beira
Beira, Mozambique
Beira is the second largest city in Mozambique. It lies in the central region of the country in Sofala Province, where the Pungue River meets the Indian Ocean. Beira had a population of 412,588 in 1997, which grew to an estimated 546,000 in 2006...
and the lower Zambezi
Zambezi
The Zambezi is the fourth-longest river in Africa, and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. The area of its basin is , slightly less than half that of the Nile...
river, in central and southeastern Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
, and in eastern and central Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
north to Handeni
Handeni
Handeni is one of the eight districts of Tanga Region in Tanzania. It is bordered to the west by the Kilindi District, to the north by the Korogwe District, to the east by the Pangani District, and to the south by the Pwani Region...
as well as in the North Pare Mountains
Pare Mountains
The Pare Mountains are a mountain range in north eastern Tanzania, north west of the Usambara Mountains. There are two mountain ranges - North and South Pare ranges, which rise to 2,463 m at Shengena Peak. They form part of the Eastern Arc of mountains. The Pare people live in the area.The Pare...
and around Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
. Formerly it was also found around Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. It inhabits
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
open woodlands. At least in Mozambique, it prefers broad-leaved woodland with an understory of tall grass, and it is probably rather common.
Taxonomy
This bird has been considered a subspecies of the Nubian Woodpecker. On the other hand, some authorities lumpLumpers and splitters
Lumping and splitting refers to a well-known problem in any discipline which has to place individual examples into rigorously defined categories. The lumper/splitter problem occurs when there is the need to create classifications and assign examples to them, for example schools of literature,...
it with Bennett's Woodpecker, Zimmerman et al. because "it is said to intergrade freely with nominate bennettii in Malawi" Here it is considered a separate species following the Handbook of the Birds of the World
Handbook of the Birds of the World
The Handbook of the Birds of the World is a multi-volume series produced by the Spanish publishing house Lynx Edicions. It is the first handbook to cover every known living species of bird. The series is edited by Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott, Jordi Sargatal and David A Christie.So far, 15...
and other authorities.