Buff-spotted flameback
| Buff-spotted flameback | |
|---|---|
 | |
| ssp. lucidus | |
 | |
| ssp. montanus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Piciformes |
| Family: | Picidae |
| Genus: | Chrysocolaptes |
| Species: | C. lucidus |
| Binomial name | |
| Chrysocolaptes lucidus (Scopoli, 1786) | |
 | |
| distribution | |
The buff-spotted flameback (Chrysocolaptes lucidus) is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found on the Philippine islands of Bohol, Leyte, Samar, Biliran, Panaon, Mindanao, Basilan, and Samal. Along with the other Philippine species, Yellow-faced flameback, Luzon flameback, Red-headed flameback, it was formerly conspecific greater flameback
Description
[edit]EBird describes the bird as "A large woodpecker of forest with a dense understory from the lowlands to the lower mountains in the southern Philippines. Orange to reddish on the back, and dark below with heavy cream-colored spotting. Neck is spotted with buff. Note the crown sloping to an angular crest, which is bright red in males and orange with spots in the female. Unmistakable. The only other similarly sized woodpecker in range is Southern Sooty-Woodpecker, which is entirely dark. Voice includes a loud, metallic rattling trill."[2]
Taxonomy
[edit]This species is part of the Greater flameback species complex which has now been split into 8 distinct species. This species differs from its most closely related Luzon flameback as females have dirty crowns in females, a heavily spotted throat and belly.
Subspecies
[edit]Three subspecies are recognized:
- C.l. lucidus – Found on Zamboanga Peninsula and Basilan; Red back
- C.l. montanus –Found on Samal island and Mindanao except Zamboanga Peninsula; Pale gold back and slightly smaller
- C.l. rufopunctatus – Found on Bohol, Leyte and Samar; Red face and darker red back[3]
Ecology and behavior
[edit]Pressumably feeds on insects and wood boring larvae. Typically seen in pairs or family parties and may sometimes associate with White-bellied woodpecker and Southern sooty woodpecker.[4]
Buff-spotted flamebacks, like other woodpeckers, drum—meaning rapidly tap their beak against objects such as dead trees—to attract mates. This species has one of the longest drums, averaging about 51 beats per drum.[5]
Nests in tree cavities. Breeding is believed to occur from January to May. The very similar Greater flameback lays 2 to 5 eggs which incubate in 2 weeks and fledge within a month. [6][4]
Habitat and conservation status
[edit]It is found in tropical moist lowland forest with dense understory up to 1,500 meters above sea level
IUCN has assessed this bird as least-concern species but the population is decreasing. This species' main threat is habitat loss with wholesale clearance of forest habitats as a result of logging, agricultural conversion and mining activities occurring within the range. The most affected part of its range is Bohol which only has 4% forest cover remaining.
Occurs in a few protected areas like Pasonanca Natural Park, Mount Apo and Mount Kitanglad on Mindanao, Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape in Bohol and Samar Island Natural Park but actual protection and enforcement from illegal logging and hunting are lax[7]
References
[edit]- ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Chrysocolaptes lucidus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22726539A94924653. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22726539A94924653.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- ^ "Buff-spotted Flameback - eBird". ebird.org. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
- ^ Allen, Desmond (2020). Birds of the Philippines. Barcelona: Lynx and Birdlife Guides International. pp. 234–235.
- ^ a b Winkler, Hans; Christie, David (2020). "Buff-spotted Flameback (Chrysocolaptes lucidus), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.busfla1.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
- ^ Schuppe, Eric R.; Rutter, Amy R.; Roberts, Thomas J.; Fuxjager, Matthew J. (2021-07-26). "Evolutionary and Biomechanical Basis of Drumming Behavior in Woodpeckers". Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 9. doi:10.3389/fevo.2021.649146. ISSN 2296-701X.
- ^ del Hoyo, Josep; Collar, Nigel; Christie, David; Boesman, Peter F. D.; Hansasuta, Chuenchom (2023). "Greater Flameback (Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus), version 1.2". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.grefla1.01.2species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
- ^ IUCN (2016-10-01). Chrysocolaptes lucidus: BirdLife International: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22726539A94924653 (Report). International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-3.rlts.t22726539a94924653.en.
- Collar, N.J. 2011. Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus. Forktail number 27: 29–38.
Media related to Chrysocolaptes lucidus at Wikimedia Commons
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