Campethera punctuligera
The Fine-spotted Woodpecker, Campethera punctuligera, is a strikingly patterned member of the Picidae family, showcasing a widespread distribution across sub-Saharan Africa. This medium-sized woodpecker typically measures 20-22 cm (8-9 inches) in length and weighs between 50-70 grams (1.8-2.5 oz). Its plumage is characterized by a greenish back and wings, often appearing olive, and creamy white underparts heavily adorned with fine, dark green or black spots and barring, giving it its distinct...
Found primarily in open woodlands, savannas, gallery forests, and the edges of evergreen forests, typically at elevations from sea level up to 2,000 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding mainly on ants and termites, their larvae, and other wood-boring insects, supplemented occasionally with berries or fruit.
The Fine-spotted Woodpecker is a diurnal species, typically observed foraging solitarily or in pairs on tree trunks and larger branches. Its foraging strategy involves methodical gleaning, probing, and shallow pecking into bark and decaying wood, often at lower to mid-levels of trees, occasionall...
The Fine-spotted Woodpecker boasts a wide geographic distribution across sub-Saharan Africa. Its breeding range extends from Senegal and Gambia in West Africa, eastward through Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Central Afri...
Least Concern
- The Fine-spotted Woodpecker's tongue can extend a surprising distance, covered in sticky saliva and barbs to efficiently extract insects from crevices. - Unlike some larger woodpeckers, it primarily gleans and probes rather than excavating large holes, relying on its fine bill for delicate work...