Dendropicos elachus
The Little Grey Woodpecker, Dendropicos elachus, is a diminutive and often elusive member of the Picidae family, captivating for its subtle beauty and quiet demeanor. Averaging around 12-14 cm in length and weighing 14-20 grams, it is among the smaller woodpecker species, characterized by its predominantly grey and olive-green plumage. Distinctive field marks include a pale buff or whitish face with faint streaking, a dark malar stripe, and a contrasting red nape and hindcrown in males, which...
Primarily inhabits dry savannas, acacia woodlands, and scrublands, particularly favoring areas with thorny trees in arid and semi-arid zones, typically found at lower elevations.
Feeds predominantly on small insects and their larvae, especially beetles, ants, and caterpillars, which it extracts from bark and decaying wood using its slender bill.
This Little Grey Woodpecker is generally observed singly or in pairs, exhibiting a rather retiring and quiet demeanor compared to its more boisterous relatives. Its foraging strategies primarily involve gleaning insects from bark crevices and under scales of thorny trees, rather than extensive dr...
The Little Grey Woodpecker has a widespread but somewhat fragmented distribution across the Sahel belt of West and Central Africa. Its range extends from Senegal and Mauritania in the west, eastward through Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan, and Eritrea. Pockets of populations are also found in northern N...
Least Concern
- Despite its name, the 'grey' is often more of an olive-grey, helping it blend into the dry, thorny vegetation of its habitat. - It is one of the smallest woodpeckers in Africa, often going unnoticed due to its diminutive size and quiet nature. - Unlike many woodpeckers that create loud, resonan...