Scientific name – Dinopium benghalense
General description-
Backside-greenish-yellow colour body and tail having same colour-black.their sound goes as “kler-kler-kler-kle-kle-kle”.male-head region is red 'female-part of head region and scalp are red.
There are about 12 varieties of woodpeckers found in Kerala out of which there is the sparrow-sized speckled piculet to the crow sized great black woodpecker.colourn variations between them are astounding.Almost all of them have a ‘cap’ above their heads.
Their legs have a unique pattern of toe arrangement seen only in them, with two toes facing forwards and two toes facing backwards and have sharp claws for gripping the bark of trees.The sharp and strong feathers that they have in their tail feathers act as extra insurance in the form of grip when these birds are climbing trees vertically.
They have specialties in their tongues and beaks in that the beaks acts as a multipurpose tool for foraging and nest building.Their tongues are peculiar to any other bird tongue in that their tongues originate from the forehead region and passes between the eyes through special tubes and end in the throat.Their tongues are used in astonishing speed and accuracy to collect worms and insects from deep burrows in tree trunks.
Their courtship music comprises of trumpet music from hollow trunks produced by the stamping of beaks.
They built nests by chiseling out small pieces of bark out of the wood just like a carpenter does.when the nest is complete they lay their their eggs on the floor of the nests just like mynah's.
The woodpecker that is being discussed here is common in all parts of Kerala and is seen in almost every backyards.
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Beautiful pics and info! thanks.
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