Family Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Least Concern
Freckle-breasted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos analis)
Taxonomy
French: Pic de Bonaparte German: Sprenkelbrustspecht Spanish: Pico pechimoteado
Other common names:
Spot-breasted Pied Woodpecker
Taxonomy:
Picus analis
Bonapartei
, 1850,Java
.
Subspecies and Distribution
D. a. andamanensis
(Blyth, 1859) – Andaman Pied Woodpecker – Andaman Is.
D. a. longipennis
Hesse, 1912 – S Myanmar, NW, W & C Thailand, C Laos, Cambodia and C & S Vietnam (Annam S to Cochinchina).
D. a. analis
(Bonaparte, 1850) – Freckle-breasted Woodpecker – S Sumatra, Java and Bali.
Descriptive notes
16–18 cm. Male nominate race has lower forehead light buff, upper forehead and crown red with (usually) some black or grey streaks (feather bases) visible, nape and hindneck... read more
Voice
Sharp “chik” or “tsik” notes slowly repeated, also softer “chip” or “tsip”, calls sometimes... read more
Habitat
Open forest, secondary forest, open country with scattered trees, plantations and gardens; locally... read more
Food and feeding
Diet ants and various other insects, including larvae (usually large ones), also small scorpions (Scorpiones); berries and fruits also... read more
Breeding
Season Dec–Mar, less commonly to Jun, in SE Asia; Jan–Mar in Andamans; mostly between Apr and Oct, rarely Jan, in Java. Display with crest-... read more
Movements
Resident.
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Locally not uncommon, but generally rather poorly known. Uncommon to fairly common in Myanmar and SE Asia; fairly common in Andaman... read more
Closely related to D. atratus. Until recently generally treated as conspecific with D. macei, but separated#R by its pale pink vs bright red vent (2); more extensive white barring on tail (3); lightly spotted breast vs dark-streaked breast sides (2); stony-buff vs dirty buff underparts, notably on chin and throat (ns[1]); smaller size, with no overlap in measurements (expected score at least 2); different voice (expected score at least 2). Birds of W Javan hills described as race montis, but inseparable from analis. Race andamanensis has boldest breast spotting but also strongest-coloured vent, one character pushing it farther from and the other closer to D. macei (but its tail pattern aligns it with D. analis); further study needed. Three subspecies recognized.